Surname Dennisen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'D'
Dennisen: What does the surname Dennisen mean?
The last name Dennisen is a patronymic surname, derived from the given name Dennis. It originates in the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, where it is fairly common.
The name Dennis is a form of the name Dionysius, which comes from the ancient Greek "Dionysios" meaning "follower of Dionysus". Dionysus was the Greek god of wine, fertility, and religious ecstasy.
As a result, Dennisen is a strong representation of fertility, joy and celebration within the Nordic culture. There is a saying in Norway, "vivl Dennis så hev du godt liv" which translates to "Live like Dennis and you'll have a good life" which gives a hint at the cheerful nature of the surname.
Dennisen is also thought to come from the Latin "Denis" meaning belonging to Dionysius, or son of Dennis.
Over the years, the name has developed slightly and has no set spelling. Variations include Dennesson, Dennisen, Dennissen, and Denesen. Today, the name and its variations are common in all Scandinavian countries as well as across the world, although strongest in the nations of Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Order DNA origin analysisDennisen: Where does the name Dennisen come from?
The last name Dennisen is most commonly found today in Northern and Western Germany. It is believed to have originated among the Frisian and Dutch-speaking people living in the area. The last name is derived from the personal name Dennis, which itself is derived from Dionysius, a popular Christian name in the region.
The surname is found more often in the larger cities of northwestern Germany such as Bremen, Hamburg, and Berlin. It is also common in countries with large German-speaking populations such as Austria, Switzerland, and the United States.
According to the Census Bureau in the United States, the last name Dennisen is ranked over 4,000th in popularity among all surnames in America. There is, however, a concentration of people with this surname in the Midwest, particularly in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. This is likely due to the large influx of German-speaking immigrants that came to America during the 19th century.
Generally speaking, the last name Dennisen is most common in northern and western Germany, the German-speaking countries, and in the Midwest of the United States. It is believed to have originated among the Frisian and Dutch-speaking people in the region, and it is still relatively popular today.
Variations of the surname Dennisen
The variant spellings of the surname Dennisen are Denissen, Dennissen, Dennissens, Denis, Dennis, Denisens, Denizens, and Denissens. All of these variants stem from the Old French name “Dennis”, which can be traced back to the Latin “Dionysius”, meaning “god of the grape-harvest”.
The surname Dennisen itself is an archaic Dutch spelling, and was most likely derived from the same French root. It appears to have been quite a popular surname in the Netherlands; there are records of it in Holland going back to the 16th century.
Other surnames of the same origin include Denison, Denniston, Denison, Dennise, Denys, and Dennys. Denison is the most common, and is found in a variety of countries around the world, including the United States. Its etymological root could be either French “deneison”, meaning “from Dionysius” or English “Deneisun” meaning “son of Denis”.
Denniston is a Scottish variant of the name, and is thought to have developed as a patronymic name of Doltson, which also has a French root. Denys is another variant of the surname, found mainly in the UK and Ireland. Finally, Dennys is an Irish form of Dennisen, used mainly in the Dublin area.
Overall, the variants of the surname Dennisen are quite numerous, reflecting the global reach this surname has had over the centuries.
Famous people with the name Dennisen
- Andrew Dennisen: American musician and composer
- Chris Dennisen: Australian basketball player
- Daryl Dennisen: Canadian Paralympic athlete
- Eric Dennisen: American former Major League Baseball pitcher
- John Dennisen: Australian sprint canoeist
- Marc Dennisen: British-Canadian actor and comedian
- Steve Dennisen: American former NFL player
- Pete Dennisen: American director and producer
- Ruth Dennisen: American model
- Johannes Dennisen: Danish physicist and chemist