Hansen
What is the origin of the last name Hansen?
Meaning and origin
The last name Hansen has its origin in Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark and Norway.
The longer story
The last name Hansen is of Danish and Norwegian origin. It is derived from the given name Hans, which is the equivalent of John in English.
The surname Hansen is a patronymic surname, meaning that it is based on the name of the person's father. In this case, it indicates that the individual is the son of Hans.
It is also common among individuals of Danish and Norwegian descent in other countries, including the United States.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
Similar spellings
#204
Hansen was the 204th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 137,977 people, about 47 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Hansen
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Hansen is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.