Surname Steffensen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'S'
Steffensen: What does the surname Steffensen mean?
Steffensen is a surname of Scandinavian origin, more specifically of old Norse roots. It is a patronymic name, a type of surname that is derived from a paternal ancestor. The name Steffensen can be broken down into two parts: 'Steffen' and 'sen'. 'Steffen' is a German and Scandinavian variant of the first name 'Stephen', which means 'crowned' or 'garland' in Greek. The suffix 'sen' is typical in Scandinavian countries and means 'son of', making Steffensen meaning 'son of Steffen' or 'son of Stephen'. This type of surname was used to identify individuals by their immediate male lineage. However, in modern times, it's no longer indicative of one's parentage. So, someone with the surname Steffensen would have had an ancestor in their paternal line named Steffen or Stephen.
Order DNA origin analysisSteffensen: Where does the name Steffensen come from?
The last name Steffensen is most commonly found in Denmark, though it is also found in many other countries due to adoptees and emigration. It is the 81st most common last name in Denmark out of around 500,000 last names.
In the United States, Steffensen is ranked as the 11,703rd most common surname, though it is more common in the state of Utah than other areas. This is unsurprising, as Utah is known as the “Beehive State” and has a large Scandinavian population due to widespread Mormon immigration from Nordic countries.
In Norway, Steffensen is the 172nd most common surname. In Sweden, it is the 1,086th most common. Additionally, Steffensen can be found in the Netherlands, Canada, England, Australia, Germany, and other countries with Nordic influences.
Overall, the last name Steffensen is of Danish origin and is still most prominent in the Nordic countries, though it has spread throughout the world as people have migrated for work and other opportunities. It remains a relatively uncommon last name, but one with a rich history.
Variations of the surname Steffensen
The surname Steffensen is of Danish origin, and has a variety of spellings and variants. Some of the alternative spellings of the surname include Steffenson, Steffens, Steffen, Stoffersen, Stoffers, Stoffenson, Stoferson, and Stofferson. Steffensen is also a patronymic surname, meaning it derived from the first name of a parent, in this case Steffen, which also appears in different spellings such as Stephun, Steffon, and Stephansen.
The Steffensen surname is most commonly found in Denmark. It is believed that the name may have originated from the village called Styff's, which is now known as Stifs. In ancient Danish, the spelling of the village name was Styffisen or Steffensen, which made up the basis of the surname.
In Norway, variants such as Stefensgaard, Stefenson, Stefherty and Stefonsen are also recorded, and this surname can be found in Sweden with variant spellings of Steffensson and Stifson. In Germany and Austria, variants of Steffens and Steffensen can also be found.
The United States also has a number of Steffensens and Steffens. Early immigrants recorded as having the name spelled as Steffensen came from England, Ireland and Norway. Records of immigrants with the surname Steffensen to the United States date back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Other countries with records of the Steffensen surname include Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa. The Steffensen surname is still in use today in many countries around the world.
Famous people with the name Steffensen
- Bendix Steffensen: Danish actor
- Jacob Steffensen: Danish Prime Minister from 1890–1894
- Patrick Steffensen: American Paralympic cyclist
- Kalle Steffensen: Danish footballer
- Lasse Steffensen: Danish footballer
- William Steffensen: Australian Olympic track & field runner
- Rasmus Steffensen Vase: Danish football coach
- Steen Steffensen: Danish Olympic sprinter
- Kim Steffensen: Danish handball player
- Peter Steffensen: Danish football referee