Surname Steen - Meaning and Origin

Unraveling the Mysteries of Ancestry: A Personal Journey through iGENEA DNA Testing

The journey of self-discovery launched with my iGENEA DNA Test resulted in revelations that profoundly influenced my perspective on my surname, Steen, and my sense of self. Connecting me to ancient roots in Scandinavia, the results have transformed Steen from a mere label to a testament of my ancestors, enflaming a newfound pride and desire to dive deeper into my heritage.

A. Steen

Steen: What does the surname Steen mean?

The surname Steen is of Dutch or Danish origin and it means "stone" or "rock" in English. It originated as a topographic name for someone who lived by a notable stone or rock, as a metonymic occupational name for someone who worked with stone, or as a habitational name from places named with this word. The surname could also be a short form of any of the various compound names formed with this word. Common variations of the name include Steens, Steenson, and Van Steen among others. Since it is an ancient surname, it has been held by many notable people throughout history, including artists, athletes, and other significant figures across various fields.

Steen: Where does the name Steen come from?

The last name Steen is most common in the Low Countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, and even parts of northern France. In the Netherlands, it is the 79th most common name, with the highest concentration in the province of North Brabant, where it ranks 22nd. In Belgium, it is the 168th most popular name, with highest concentrations in the provinces of East Flanders and West Flanders. The Steen surname is particularly common in the Dutch city of Leiden, where it is the 3rd most popular surname.

Outside the Low Countries, Steen is predominantly a Scandinavian name, with highest occurrences in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. In Denmark, it is the 81st most common name, whereas in Norway and Sweden it is the 107th and 432nd most popular names, respectively.

In the United States, the Steen surname has been growing in popularity over the past few decades, with the greatest prevalence in Texas, California, Florida, and North Carolina. It is particularly popular in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area, where it is the 125th most common name.

The Steen surname is still relatively rare in Australia, where it is the 2796th most popular name as of 2019.

Overall, the last name Steen is still most common in the Low Countries of Europe, but is slowly gaining prevalence across other parts of the world. Its presence in the United States and Australia is testament to the large-scale migration of Europeans since the 19th century.

Variations of the surname Steen

The surname Steen is of German and Dutch origin, and can have a variety of different spellings and associated surnames.

In Germany, Steen is primarily spelled Stein, which can also be spelled Steyn in some areas. German variants of Stein include Steine, Steiner, Stainer, Steinhauer, Steinbacher, and Steinkuhler.

In the Netherlands, Steen is primarily spelled Steijn, though there are variants such as Steine, Steenacker, Steenblok, Steenbock, Steenbrink, Steendam, Steensma, Steenvoorden, and Steenwijk.

Surnames of the same origin include Steiner, Stainer, Steinberg, Steinmetz, Steinfeld, Steinglass, Steinberger, Steinhoff, Steinkühler, and Steinebach.

There are also some less common variants of the surname Steen, such as Steenard, Steeb, Steenbrink, Steeneveld, Steemers, Steemsma, and Steenhard.

No matter the spelling or variant of Steen, the origins are ultimately the same.

Famous people with the name Steen

• Svenn-Arne Steen, Norwegian footballer
• Bent Steen, Danish footballer
• Emil Steen, Danish footballer
• Leslie Steen, Canadian basketball player
• Otto Steen, Danish sports shooter and Olympic gold medalist
• Mogens Steen, Danish hockey goaltender
• Sverre Steen, Norwegian footballer
• Jørgen Steen, Danish actor
• Royal Steen, Danish actor
• Ann-Marie Steen, Swedish politician
• Michael Steen, English actor
• Kleemann Steen, Danish furniture designer
• Tracy Steen, American snowboarder
• Robyn Steen, American folk singer
• Rolf Steen, Norwegian actor
• Christian Steen, Norwegian artist
• Jim Steen, American race car driver
• Henrik Steen, Danish actor
• Henrik Steen Jensen, Danish actor
• Rose Steen, Norwegian actress

Other surnames

SteedSteedeSteedmanSteedsSteegSteegerSteegersSteegertSteeghSteeghsSteegmaierSteegmannSteegmannsSteegmansSteegmayerSteegmillerSteegmuellerSteegmüllerSteegsSteehrSteelSteeleSteeleySteenackersSteenbreckerSteenbrekerSteenbrinkSteenfadtSteenfath