Surname Johannessen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'J'
Johannessen: What does the surname Johannessen mean?
The last name Johannessen is a patronymic Scandinavian-origin surname. This means that it is derived from a personal name, Johan. Patronymic surnames were used throughout Norway and other Scandinavian countries in the Middle Ages, and Johannessen would have originally been used to distinguish between two people with the same given name — usually father and son, or brothers.
This surname literally means 'son of Johan', and as such shows a connection between the family and the original given name ‘Johan’. It is a hyphenated version of what is sometimes referred to as a ‘double surname’, which is when an original combined surname is broken down into two separate parts.
Johannessen is a fairly common surname in Scandinavian countries. In Norway alone, there are over 5,000 people with this surname, and its variations have spread to countries including Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.
It is often spelled differently, with variations such as Johannsen, Johanssen, Johannsson, Johansson, and Jönsson. In addition, there are multiple variations of this surname in English-speaking countries, such as Johnson, Johnsen, Jonssen, and Joneson.
In thesis variations, the overall meaning of the name remains the same: ‘son of Johan’. This unifying theme makes Johannessen a popular last name among Scandinavian descendants from the Middle Ages onwards.
Order DNA origin analysisJohannessen: Where does the name Johannessen come from?
The last name Johannessen is most common in Norway, where it is the 36th most common name nationwide, with an estimated 14,934 people bearing it. It is most concentrated in the states of Hordaland and Rogaland and is also found in high numbers in the capital city of Oslo.
The Johannessen name is also found widely scattered throughout the other Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, with an estimated 2,890, 1,094, and 426 people bearing the family name respectively.
Johannessens can also be found in other parts of Europe, including Germany and England, and in the eastern United States as well, mainly in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and New York. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand also have communities of Johannessens.
Outside of Europe, there are also communities of Johannessens in Mexico, Brazil, and other countries in South and Central America. Asia and Africa both have small communities of people bearing the name, although it is comparatively rare. In Asia, the Philippines and India have the most substantial populations of Johannessens.
Despite originally being a Scandinavian name, the Johannessen surname is now spread across the globe, both in communities descended from European émigrés, and those descended from more recent immigrants from countries around the world. In its various forms, the Johannessen name is still held by thousands of people across the world.
Variations of the surname Johannessen
The surname Johannessen is a patronymic surname derived from the Christian given name Johannes, which means "God is gracious". It is very common in Scandinavia and has many variants, spellings and surnames based on its origin.
In Norway, the variants and spellings of Johannessen include Johansen, Johansson, Johansdatter, Johansdotter, Johansdotter, Johannesson, Johannsdatter, Johannsdotter, Johannessdotter, Johannessdatter, Johannessdotter and Johannesson. The Norwegian version with the 'ss' is the most popular spelling.
In Sweden, the variants and spellings of Johannessen includes Johansson, Johansdotter, Johannsdotter, Johannson and Johannesson.
In Finland, the variants and spellings of Johannessen include Johansson, Johanesson, Johaanesson and Johannson.
Johannessen also has many variation surnames in other languages like in Dutch, Johnsen, Johnston, Jochmans and Johnssen; in French, Johnson and Johaneson; in German, Johnson, Johannes, Johannsen, Johannsmann, Johannsn and Johannessen; in Greek, Ioannes; in Spanish, Juanes and Juanesen; and in Italian, Johnson, Johans, Giannini, Giannone and Giovanes.
Overall, as the surname is derived from a Christian given name, Johannessen has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin which vary according to location and language.
Famous people with the name Johannessen
- Steve Johannsen: NBA commentator
- Vibeke Johannsen: Danish actress
- Axel Johannessen: Norwegian actor
- Kjetil Andre Johannessen: Norwegian footballer
- Stig Johannessen: Norwegian Adventure photographer
- Ingebjørg Bratland Johannessen: Norwegian TV presenter
- Merethe Johannessen: Norwegian business woman
- Mads Johannessen: Danish handball player
- Emma Johannessen: Norwegian music producer
- Berit Johannessen: Norwegian writer