Surname Sengers - Meaning and Origin
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Sengers: What does the surname Sengers mean?
The last name Sengers is a Dutch patronymic name of unknown origin. It is believed to have been derived from the Middle Dutch personal name “Senger,” with the addition of the suffix -s, meaning “son of.” This name was used to denote the fact that the father of the name bearer was known as “Senger.” Some linguists hypothesize that the name may have originally been derived from the Old Dutch words “senger” or “senga,” which refer to an inlet or arm of the sea, or a bog or swamp. The Sengers surname was likely given by a geographic ancestor, or by those who lived close to the sea — implying they had some familiarity with its events, navigation and tradition.
The Sengers family is documented as being from the Netherlands and Flanders — parts of modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands that have been known to be inhabited since the 11th century. During the Middle Ages, it was typical for the same surname to be used by multiple generations, and the Sengers surname likely indicates that an ancestor of this family was once attached to a specific estate or region.
Today, the Sengers surname is mostly found in the Netherlands, however, it is also known to appear in other parts of the world due to migration — as records show individuals with the Sengers last name have moved to the United States, Australia, Canada, and even Brazil.
Order DNA origin analysisSengers: Where does the name Sengers come from?
The last name Sengers is most common in The Netherlands. According to data from Forebears, the surname is most prevalent in the Netherlands, accounting for almost 40,000 people in total. It is thought to be originally derived from the patronymic "Sanderse" which was a frequent family name in some parts of the Netherlands in the Middle Ages.
Sengers is then found in smaller concentrations in countries such as Belgium, Canada, Germany and the United States where family names of Dutch origin are still relatively common. It is likely that the name arrived in these countries during the 17th and 18th centuries when many Dutch families moved away from the Netherlands to try and find a better life elsewhere.
Today in the Netherlands, Sengers is the 20th most common surname. It is found more frequently in certain parts of the country, particularly the northern provinces.
Outside of the Netherlands, the name can also be found in countries such as Brazil, France, and Switzerland, in these countries the name is thought to be either carried over from Dutch emigrants or given as a patronymic by children of Dutch immigrants who had moved there generations ago.
Overall the surname Sengers is still relatively common today, especially in the Netherlands, and is a reminder of the early migrations of Dutch people in the search of better lives and opportunities.
Variations of the surname Sengers
The surname Sengers originated from the Netherlands and has appeared in many different spellings and variants throughout Europe over the years. Some of these variations include Sengora, Sengar, Sankers, Sengersen, Sankersen, Senser, Sengersson, and Senkar.
In the Netherlands, the surname is most commonly spelled Sengers. It is believed to originate from the personal name "Sangar" which was a popular Dutch name in the Middle Ages. It is thought that the name derived from the Germanic words "san" (strong) and "gari" (spear).
In Germany, the most common spelling for the surname is Sankers, originating from the personal name Sanke, which is the German version of Sangar. In Swedish, the surname is spelled Sengersson (where "son" stands for "son of"), while in Danish the spelling is Senkar.
In Flanders, the name is often seen in the spelling of Sengar or Sengora. This comes from the given name "Siger" which came from the Germanic word "sig" meaning victory.
In France, the name is sometimes spelled Senser or Sencer. These variations stem from the Norman French word "sentir" which means "to feel".
In the United Kingdom, the surname is sometimes seen spelled as Sankersen. It is believed that this variation is a result of a spelling mistake during the 1700s due to dialectal differences.
In the United States, the surname may also be spelled Sengersen. This is a further derivative of the Dutch spelling and primarily found in the southern states.
Famous people with the name Sengers
- Chris Sengers: Dutch actor and comedian from the Netherlands.
- Dave Sengers: Former professional baseball player who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- Jeroen Sengers: Dutch-born composer and pianist.
- Paul Sengers: Belgian artist, graphic designer, and art historian.
- Hugo Sengers: Dutch television producer and director.
- Jelle Sengers: Dutch-born television personality and actor.
- Bob Sengers: Dutch author and journalist.
- Roelof Sengers: Dutch writer and journalist.
- Corry Sengers: Dutch professor emerita in chemistry and biochemistry.
- Karina Sengers: Dutch Paralympic athlete and two-time medalist in track and field.
- Ventura Sengers: Dutch football player who played for FC Dordrecht in the Dutch Eredivisie.
- Ilona Sengers: Dutch model and beauty pageant winner.
- Arjen Sengers: Dutch actor and television presenter.
- Bert Sengers: Dutch author and journalist.
- Andrew Sengers: British-born artist and graphic designer living in Manly Beach, Australia.
- Jo Sengers: Dutch television presenter, actor, and cabaret artist.
- Robert Sengers: American evangelist and church planter.
- Anna Sengers: Dutch musician, singer-songwriter and producer.
- Jean-Marie Sengers: Belgian dermatologist who specializes in skin diseases.
- Mike Sengers: Dutch independent film producer and director.