Surname Peterhänse - Meaning and Origin
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Peterhänse: What does the surname Peterhänse mean?
The last name Peterhänse is a German surname originating in the Middle Ages out of the Old Germanic language. The literal meaning of the surname is ‘son of Peter’. It is most likely derived from the old German name Petrus which was a popular name back then, and the suffix ‘hänse’ which was a patronymic marker for a son of a father. Therefore, the literal meaning of the name is ‘the son of Peter’.
It is possible that the surname originated from a family that was originally from the Preußen area near the Baltic Sea, since the patronymic marker ‘hänse’ is more commonly used in that area. Over time, the surname spread to other parts of Germany.
In modern times, the surname Peterhänse can be found in Germany, Austria and other German-speaking regions Europe. It is the second most common surname in Liechtenstein, where it is thought to have been taken by a migration of German people during the 15th century.
The surname Peterhänse is a reminder of the social structures of the Middle Ages and the old German name Petrus. It also marks the passage of time and the migration of the German people that have had an important influence on European culture.
Order DNA origin analysisPeterhänse: Where does the name Peterhänse come from?
Peterhänse is an unusual last name and not found in many places around the world today. In Germany, the surname has been found more commonly in the northern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The name could have originated from someone whose family was from this region.
The surname is found sporadically throughout the United States, primarily in the midwest, notably Illinois, Ohio, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. It is believed that many of these Peterhänse families emigrated from Germany in the 1700s and 1800s.
Ancestry.com shows that the surname is scattered throughout the world, including portions of Europe, Borneo, Australia, and South Africa, but the primary countries of occurrence are Germany and the US.
The Peterhänse name generally means 'son of Peter', which indicates a family patriarch. Since the German spelling of 'son' is Sohn, the hänse part could also refer to a form of the word 'Hansel', which is another diminutive form of the same name.
There is no evidence to suggest that the Peterhänse name has remained in the same family for many generations, though a handful of families did make their mark in specific cities and states. Without further research, it is impossible to accurately speculate the origin and spread of the surname.
Variations of the surname Peterhänse
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Peterhänse are the following:
Peterhans - This common spelling is a variant of the name Peterhänse and is more likely to be found in North America.
Peterhaens - This variant spelling of the surname Peterhänse is a combination of the Dutch "Peter" and the German "Haens".
Petersen - This surname is a patronymic form of the German surname Peter, a form of the Hebrew name Peter, which means "rock". Historically, the family line was believed to have descended from a progenitor of the Peter family.
Petersohn - This variant spelling of the surname is derived from the German compound Petersohn, made up of the elements Peter (rock) and sohn (son). It is a patronymic surname, which translates to “son of Peter” or “son of the rock”.
Peterhansel - This variant spelling is derived from the German surname Peterhansel, which is formed from the Hebrew name Peter (rock) and the German suffix -hansel (little). This surname was given to the son of Peter, and was most likely used as an affectionate term within the family.
Peeters - This variant spelling is derived from the Dutch surname Peeters, which is a patronymic form of the surname Peter. The surname was given to the son of Peter, and is a Dutch variant of the common German surname Peters.
Peterson - This surname is derived from the patronymic form of the German surname Peter, which is Petersson. The surname was originally used to denote the son of Peter, and was most likely given as an affectionate name within the family.
These are some of the many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the Peterhänse surname.
Famous people with the name Peterhänse
- Brunhilde Peterhänse: renowned German philosopher and aesthetics professor
- Felix Peterhänse: famous 19th century German poet
- Sepp Peterhänse: Austrian Olympic freestyle skier
- Ulla Peterhänse: Swedish actress and director
- Julius Peterhänse: 19th century German zoologist and animal expert
- Verena Peterhänse: German specialist in Ancient Greek studies
- Friedrich Peterhänse: 19th century Swiss astronomer
- Phillemon Peterhänse: renowned 19th century German theologian
- Marie Peterhänse: renowned 19th century German botanist
- Cornelia Peterhänse: renowned 19th century German medicine professor