Surname Pettersen - Meaning and Origin
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Pettersen: What does the surname Pettersen mean?
The surname Pettersen is of Scandinavian origin, predominantly used in Norway and derives from the combination of the first name Peter and the suffix "-sen," meaning "son." Hence, Pettersen essentially translates to "son of Peter." The name Peter is derived from the Greek "Petros," meaning "stone" or "rock." Historically, Scandinavian cultures used this patronymic naming system, changing the surname with each generation based on the father’s first name. The practice ended with legislation introduced in Norway in the late 19th to early 20th century, urging families to adopt a single hereditary surname. Consequently, Pettersen and similar surnames froze in place. Today, the last name Pettersen is common in Norway and in communities with Norwegian ancestry.
Order DNA origin analysisPettersen: Where does the name Pettersen come from?
The last name Pettersen is most commonly found in Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. In Norway, the surname is one of the most popular and given to roughly 10,000 people. In Sweden, there are about 3,500 people with the surname and in Denmark, there are around 1,500.
Pettersen is a patronymic name derived from the given name 'Petter'. This name of Nordic origin means 'rock' and is derived from the Greek name Petros. In Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish, the last name would be spelled 'Pettersen'. In Swedish, this is also the most common spelling.
It is believed that the surname originated in Norway and then spread to other Scandinavian countries. There are also people with the last name found in the United States, the Netherlands, and Germany, likely due to immigrants from Scandinavia or their descendants. There are also instances of the surname in Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
In Norway, the Pettersen family is recorded to have been prominent in län Småland during the 13th and 14th centuries. One branch is believed to have moved to the Duchy of Schleswig in the 16th Century. Alessandro Pettersen, a Swedish theologian, was born in Gärdserum, Sweden in 1765.
Today, the last name Pettersen is widespread throughout Scandinavia and is also found in other countries. It is believed to have originated in Norway, but due to migration and emigration, it has spread to other countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Pettersen
The surname Pettersen is derived from a patronymic form of the surname Petersen, meaning "son of Peter". Variations of the name include Päterson, Petroson, Petersson, Pedersson, Pettersdotter, Pederdotter, Pederson, and Pederen.
The primary spelling of the surname is Pettersen, but alternate spellings of the name include Petters, Peders, Pieters, Patrson, Pateerse, Pedersen, Pettare, Peeterson, Pettesen, Pettersson, Petersone, and Putersen.
Pettersen is the second-most popular surname in Norway. In other parts of Europe, such as Sweden, Finland, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, the surname is also found, although the spelling varies from country to country.
Surnames from the same origin include Paerson, Perrsen, Peerison, Peerdson, Perdson, Peerden, Peereson, Peserson, Petterdotter, Podderson, Robberson, and Posey.
In the United Kingdom, Scotland, and Ireland, variations of the surname are occasionally encountered as Peters, Pettit, Pettus, and Pitman. In the United States, where the name is probably of Scandinavian origin, it can have a variety of spellings (Peterson, Pedersen, Pederson) and can be Anglicized as Peterson, Peterson, Peters, Paterson, Paterson, Patton, Potter, and Putman.
In Norway, the variants of the name Pettersen are most commonly found in the regions of Nordland, Hordaland, and Rogaland. In Denmark, the surname has three regional variants: Petresen, Pedersen, and Petersen, while in Sweden the variations include Petersson and Peterson. In Germany the variants include Petersen, Petrucha, and Petri.
Famous people with the name Pettersen
- Suzann Pettersen: Suzann Pettersen is a professional Norwegian golfer who won 15 Ladies European Tour events and two major championships. She is the most successful Norwegian professional golfer of all time, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019.
- Henrik Pettersen: Henrik Pettersen is a Norwegian singer-songwriter and actor, the lead singer and frontman of the band Bergensk Selskap. He rose to fame in Norway winning a talent show in 2007, and he has been releasing music ever since.
- Lea Pettersen: Lea Pettersen is a Norwegian singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. She is best known as the co-founder of the indie-pop band Lemaitre, and has released two albums and several singles as a solo artist.
- Siri Pettersen: Siri Pettersen is a Norwegian fantasy author, known for her Raven Rings series. She has published several novels and essays, and has been called "one of the most exciting Norwegian authors in fantasy literature today".
- Otto Pettersen: Otto Pettersen was a Norwegian engineer, navy officer, and shipbuilder. He is best known for developing the Pettersen torpedo, which revolutionized submarine warfare. He was awarded numerous medals for inventing the breakthrough torpedo.