Surname Toennessen - Meaning and Origin
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Toennessen: What does the surname Toennessen mean?
The last name Toennessen is a patronymic surname derived from the given name of the original bearer's father. The suffix -nessen is a patronymic Norse ending of German origin which is used to denote 'son of'. The given name of the original bearer's father could have been Tønne, which is a form of the Old Norse name Þórinn meaning 'thunder god'. Therefore, literally the name Toennessen means 'son of Thorinn'.
The surname Toennessen is found mainly in Denmark, Norway and Germany. In the U.S., the name first appears in Wisconsin in 1880. There were also a handful of entries in the 1920 US Census for the name in Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa.
Toennessen also appears in many spellings, the most common being Tønnessen, Tønnesen, and Tönnesen.The variations in spelling could be associated to the fact that the phonetic spelling of a given name is often revealed only after someone starts using the surname itself.
The various spellings of this surname can be searched in records like birth and death registries, parish logs, immigration records, military records, foreign language books, and directories.
Order DNA origin analysisToennessen: Where does the name Toennessen come from?
The Toennessen surname is a German surname, with the earliest recorded record of its existence being in Germany, from the late 14th century. It is a relatively uncommon family name today, but can still be found in many countries across Europe.
In Germany it is still represented by several Toennessen families, primarily in the west of the country. The Toennessen surname also has a considerable presence in many northern and central European countries, such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, and Austria.
The Toennessen surname can also be found in other regions, such as North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. The farthest-flung region in which the Toennessen name is present is South Africa. This is largely due to the influx of German immigrants in the early 19th century, when many individuals from all walks of life migrated from Europe to South Africa.
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact number of people who still bear the Toennessen surname today. However, it is safe to say that the Toennessen surname is still common in many areas across the world, representing a part of Germanic history and contributing to the cultural tapestry of these different countries.
Variations of the surname Toennessen
The surname Toennessen is of German origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. This was the time when many German immigrants flocked to the northern parts of Europe, particularly Holland.
Variants of this surname include Tönnessen, Tönnies, Toennies and Tönnusson. In Germany, the variation starts with a 'D' at times, making it Dönniges, Döningsen and Döniessen.
Toennessen is an alternate spelling of Tönnies, which is a patronymic last name derived from the given name Tönni. The English version of this name is Tony, and other forms include Toni, Toenne, Tonino and Tonis.
The surname Toennessen is uncommon in the United States, but more prevalent in other European countries. It is also found in some Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway. It's also a popular surname in the Netherlands, where it's more commonly spelled as Toennies.
In some parts of Europe, spelling variants of Toennessen can also be found in other languages. For example, the French version of the surname is Tonneau, while in Spanish it is Tonnesen.
Toennessen is a fairly rare surname but it's certainly worth researching if you encounter it. People with this surname may have descended from immigrants of several different countries and could have some interesting stories to tell.
Famous people with the name Toennessen
- John Toennessen: An American politician who served as the mayor of Sacramento, California from 1941 to 1948.
- Heather Toennessen: An American businesswoman who is the CEO of Ageless Media Network and co-founder of the global beauty brand, GlamRX.
- Ryan Toennessen: An American football player who has played for the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos.
- Joe Toennessen: An American sports broadcaster who was the play-by-play voice of the Portland Trail Blazers from 1984 to 2012.
- Robert Toennessen: An American film producer who is best known for producing the television series “24” and “Homeland.”
- Astrid Toennessen: A Norwegian novelist and essayist who is best known for her works such as "The Sooty Surprise", "The Will of It All", and "Breathing Room".
- Thomas Toennessen: A Norwegian businessman who is the current CEO of Aker Solutions, a global oil & gas engineering and consulting firm.
- Christian Toennessen: An Norwegian barrister who was the head of Jusinform, a Norwegian legal services provider.
- Vivi Toennessen: A Danish fashion designer who is most famous for her collections that merge timeless elegance and modern design.
- Abigail Toennessen: An American philanthropist who runs the Toennessen Foundation, a charity for underprivileged women in the United States.