Surname Christophersen - Meaning and Origin

Christophersen: What does the surname Christophersen mean?

The last name Christophersen is of Scandinavian origin and is derived from the personal name Christopher. Depending on the regional dialect and/or language, the name may be spelled as Christensen or Christoffersen. This last name first appears in Denmark and is particularly popular in Norway and Sweden.

The etymology of the name Christopher is uncertain: some believe it means ‘Christ bear’ and others suggest that it comes from the Greek ‘Christophoros’, meaning ‘bearing Christ’.

These Christian names were common in many parts of Scandinavia and began to be used as last names in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries alongside other patronymic surnames, such as Anderssen and Jenssen.

Families that held the Christophersen last name were usually associated with farming, such as dairy farming and sheep grazing. These families often ran small businesses based on these activities. In the twentieth century, many Christophersen families moved to cities and are associated with office jobs and other forms of professional work.

The Christophersen last name can be found widely today throughout the countries of Northern Europe, including Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, and it has also spread to other areas due to emigration.

Christophersen: Where does the name Christophersen come from?

The last name Christophersen is primarily a Norwegian patronymic surname. It is no surprise that its ability to spread to other parts of the world beyond Norway has been slow. As of 2019, Norway had a population of 5.4 million people, and only a fraction of those bearing the last name Christophersen.

One of the most populated ethnic Norwegian countries outside of Norway is Iceland, where the name Christophersen appears to be quite rare. The same goes for many other countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, where the name Christophersen is uncommon, with only a few individuals bearing the name recorded in censuses.

Outside of Northern Europe, it is common to find Christophersen in some South American countries, primarily in Brazil, in which there is a sizeable Norwegian population dating back to the 1800s. In Brazil, the Christophersen name is more commonly written as Cristoferson.

In other parts of the world, those with the Christophersen name have likely emigrated. There are some notable artisans bearing the name, such as Antonius Christophersen in Sweden and Hans Ege Christophersen in Denmark, although the name is not particularly common in either of those countries.

Ultimately, the Christophersen name is seen across many Scandinavian countries as well as in some South American countries, with the highest concentration of individuals with this surname living in Norway.

Variations of the surname Christophersen

The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Christophersen are as follows:

Christophers, Christophersdtr, Christoffersen, Christoffersdatter, Christoffersen, Christoffersdtr, Christoffersson, Christophsen, Christensen, Christensdatter, Christensdtr, Christianssen, Christiansen, Christiansdatter, Christiansdtr, Christianssen, Christiansen, Christiansdtr, Christianson, Christensen, Christensdtr, Cristoffersen, Cristofferson, Christenson, Christianson, Kristoffersen, Kristoffersdatter, Kristoffersdtr, Kristoffersen, Kristoffersson, Kristiansen, Kristiansdtr, Kristiansdatter, Kristiansson, and Krstoffersen. Christophersen is a patronymic name meaning "son of Christopher", derived from the given name Christopher which means "bearer of Christ" in Greek. The name Christophersen is most commonly found in Scandinavia and it is believed to have been derived from the Latin name Christophorus.

Christophersen is also an Anglicization of the Swedish name of Christopefors, derived from the given name Christofer and the suffix fors, which means waterfall. Variants of Christopefors include Cristophfors, Kristophfors, Kristofffors, and Krystofffors.

The name Christophersen is also an Anglicization of the Danish name Chrisfors, derived from the given name Christopher and the suffix fors, which means field or meadow. Variants of Chrisfors include Chrisfot, Kristefs, Kristefot, Kristofferfot, Kristoffers, Kristoffersfors, Kristoffersfot, Kristofs, Kristuffs, Krystofffors, and Krystoffs.

The surname Christophersen has been found in records dating back to the 1700s and is still prevalent today. It is an incredibly common surname found in many countries around the world.

Famous people with the name Christophersen

• Louise Christophersen: This Danish classical and age-of-romance actress appeared in films like ‘The Olsen Gang’ in 1982, Friheden Synger in 1983, and Viva Marie! in 1985.
• Saul Christophersen: This Norwegian-American radioactive physicist is best known for his work developing the high-temperature graphite moderated reactor during his work at Argonne National Laboratory in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
• Naevius Teutobodius Christophersen: This Danish physician and politician served as a member of the Danish Parliament from 1921 until 1964. He served as a Minister for three separate portfolios: the railway, Defence, and the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs.
• Christian Christophersen: He was a Swedish architect known for his contributions to the Industrial Revolution in Dalarna, Sweden. His works include work on the Heda Mines in Smedjebacken, Sweden and the Alvesta Textile Factory in Kosta, Sweden.
• Curtis Christophersen: An American environmentalist, Curtis Christophersen is the co-founder and former executive director of the Center of Biological Diversity, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the wetlands and wilderness areas of the American Southwest.
• Trygve Christophersen: This Norwegian former professional footballer, who played for Lyn in the Norwegian Premier League, represented his country at the UEFA European Football Championship in 2000.
• Ordis Christophersen: This Norwegian agricultural manager served as the district manager of Huldran from 1954 until his departure in 1961. He was also an active member of the Norwegian resistance during World War II.
• Rolf Christophersen: This Norwegian entrepreneur and conservationalist served as the chairman of the Niels Christensen Fund in 1981 and is best known for his contributions to the sustainable management of forests and wildlife.
• Robert Christophersen: This Danish-born designer is renowned for his custom furniture designs and interiors. He designed many buildings for the National Museum of Denmark in the early 1980s, and his work can still be found in the gallery today.
• Claus Christophersen: Claus Christophersen was a Danish civil servant and archeologist. He served as director of the Nationalmuseet from 1944 to 1955 and made numerous contributions to the understanding of Danish archeology.

Other surnames

ChristopherChristöpherChristopheriChristophersChristophersonChristophery