Surname Thevihsen - Meaning and Origin
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Thevihsen: What does the surname Thevihsen mean?
Thevihsen is a Scandinavian surname derived from the Old Norse elements ‘theva,’ meaning ‘to ride,’ and ‘hysa,’ meaning ‘house.’ Combined, it means ‘rider of the house’ or ‘house rider.’ Historically, it would have been a descriptive nickname given to the important messengers in Scandinavian towns who would carry official messages between two houses or between a house and the town hall.
In present day, the surname is often found in Scandinavia and across Europe, indicating the important role those on messenger duty played in medieval days and how it has been passed down across generations.
Thevihsen is also often found amongst those of Jewish descent, indicating the family’s history of conversion from Christianity to Judaism in centuries past to escape persecution.
By retaining the original surname, Thevihsen, the family has kept its historical link to the house rider line of service, preserving a family legacy of dedication, honour and trustworthiness.
Order DNA origin analysisThevihsen: Where does the name Thevihsen come from?
The surname Thevihsen is of Danish origin. It is currently most commonly found in Denmark, as well as in the other Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Worldwide, the surname is less common. However, there is evidence that the surname is present in countries such as the United States, Canada, England, and Australia.
The surname Thevihsen can be found in the telephone directory for cities in Denmark, such as Copenhagen and Aarhus. The surname can also be found in Swedish cities, such as Stockholm and Gothenburg. It is not necessarily localized to one particular area, but can be found throughout the Scandinavian countries.
The surname is thought to have come from an ancestor called either Thevet or Thued, both of which were common Christian names during the Middle Ages. It may have originally been derived from a shorter form of Theodore. The patronymic suffix ‘-sen’ was added to form the surname, a practice which was common in Scandinavia at the time.
The Thevihsen surname is fairly rare, even in the Scandinavian countries, but it is still a prominent surname in those areas. It is slowly spreading to other countries as well, as those with the surname move around the world. It will likely remain a rare surname, however, due to its limited geographical occurrence.
Variations of the surname Thevihsen
Thevihsen (pronounced “thay-vik-son”) is a surname of Germanic origin. It is also spelled as Thievsen and Thevussen, and it can also appear as common surnames or legacies such as Thevissen, Thevisen, Theviesen, Thevissen, Thievessen, and Thevsen.
Thevihsen is derived from the German personal name of Thiewes, which was created from a combination of Middle High German and Old Norse words, such as the Middle High German word “theu” meaning “servant”, and the Old Norse “vish” meaning “peaceful” or “willing”. Put together, these words create a meaning of “a willing servant”.
Variations of Thevihsen include Thievsen, Thievessen, Theuesen, Tievesen, Thevussen, Thevisen, Theviesen, Tievisen, Thevisation, and Thevisation. The variant surnames are generally believed to have come about as a result of imperfect spelling of an unfamiliar name rather than the adoption of foreign names.
Variations of the surname Thevihsen are found across the world as people have traveled, particularly to North America. Some known bearers of this surname include Hanske Thevihsen (born in Denmark in 1643) and Anna Thevihsen (born in 1857 in Germany).
Thevihsen is an age-old surname which has been around for centuries, and it is likely to continue to exist for centuries to come.
Famous people with the name Thevihsen
- Kim Thavixay, a Laotian-American soccer player
- Gerda Thevikhen, a Finnish composer and pianist
- Katerina Thevihsen, a Russian-Norwegian opera singer
- Diane Thevihsen, an American children's author
- Friedrich Thevihsen, a Norwegian painter
- Maria Thevihsen, a German artist
- Ove Thevihsen, a Danish actor
- Martha Thevihsen, a Dutch photographer
- Jorgen Thevihsen, a Swedish sculptor
- Eivind Thevihsen, a Norwegian politician