Surname Stevense - Meaning and Origin
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Stevense: What does the surname Stevense mean?
The surname Stevense is of Dutch origin and patronymic in nature. In traditional Dutch naming system, "-se" or "-sen" is added to the father's first name to form the children's last name, indicating "son of" or "descendant of." Hence, Stevense refers to "son of Steven" or "descendant of Steven." Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown" or "garland." Over time, as patronyms became inherited surnames, families kept these names irrespective of their immediate father's first name. Therefore, a person carrying the surname Stevense today may not necessarily be the son of a man named Steven. Surnames were often used as an essential means of documenting personal history, lineage, and identity before civil records existed. In the Netherlands, the use of such surnames became law in the early 19th century.
Order DNA origin analysisStevense: Where does the name Stevense come from?
The last name Stevense is most commonly found today in North America, especially the United States and Canada. It is especially common in the Midwestern states such as Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana. It is also found in other parts of the United States such as California, Florida, and New York.
The origins of the last name Stevense can be traced back to Friesland, a province in the Netherlands. It is thought that the surname dates back to the mid 18th century when many Dutch settlers emigrated to North America. By the 19th century, the last name had settled in the Midwestern states and Canada.
Outside North America, the last name Stevense is still found in the Netherlands. It is also found in Australia, South Africa, and throughout Europe.
Although Stevense is a relatively common last name, it is not one of the most popular. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Stevense ranks around 6,500 for the last names in the United States. It is nowhere near the top 100 surnames in any region of the U.S.
Despite the prevalence of the last name in North America, it is still relatively uncommon. Therefore, if you come across someone with the last name Stevense, it could be a distant relative or relative of some kind. It is also useful to keep in mind the possible Dutch origins of the last name.
Variations of the surname Stevense
Stevense (also spelled Stevense and also known as van Stevense) is a surname of Dutch origin. It is derived from a personal or locative name, “Steven”, which is a fusion of the Middle Dutch “Stief” (meaning “step”) and “hans” (meaning “John”).
Stevense is a very common surname in Dutch speaking countries, but can also be found throughout the world. In the Netherlands, it is one of the top 100 most common surnames.
Variants of the Stevense include van Stevense, Stevensen, and Stevensz. Spellings include Stevens, Steffens, Steverson, and Stevensen. Surnames of similar origin include van Steen, Steenstra, Steenburgen, van Steenis, and van Steijn.
Stevense is not only found in Dutch-speaking countries. It can also be found in Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Russia, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Greece, Malta, Switzerland, Belgium, Ireland, Scotland, England, Canada, USA, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Belarus, Turkey, and North Korea.
Famous people with the name Stevense
- Elizabeth "Lizzy" Stevens: Australian YouTuber and singer/songwriter
- Robert Stevens: former United States Secretary of Transportation
- Morgan Stevens: British actor
- Paul Stevens: former president of the National Hockey League
- Henry Stevens: American astronomer
- Christopher Stevens: former United States Ambassador to Libya
- Alex Stevens: American actor
- Richard Stevens: American comic artist
- Leonard Stevens: English cartoonist and illustrator
- Thomas Stevens: 19th century British explorer
- Bill Stevens: American football player
- Michael Stevens: American rock musician
- Tom Stevens: American actor
- Albert Stevens: American physicist
- Stephen Stevens: American politician
- Robert Stevens: former managing editor of The Wall Street Journal
- James Stevens: British poet
- Rebecca Stevens: British Olympic equestrian
- Bruce Stevens: former United States Representative from California
- Matthew Stevens: Welsh snooker player