Surname Tönnessen - Meaning and Origin
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Tönnessen: What does the surname Tönnessen mean?
The last name Tönnessen is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German "Tunnes" or "Tunnesin." It is believed to have been brought to the area of what are now Germany, Switzerland, and Austria during the migration of people in the Middle Ages.
The last name Tönnessen is a patronymic surname, which means that it was derived from the first name of the father of the original bearer of the surname. In this case, it was derived from a variation of the Germanic personal name of Tunno, Tonno, or Tunnes. The name meant “bold” or “brave one” in the Middle High German language.
Today, the last name Tönnessen is found in many countries in Europe and parts of the United States. In Germany, the name is particularly common in the western states such as North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Saxony.
The original spelling of the name may have been different depending on the language and dialect of the area in which it originated. It may also have been subject to spelling variations over the centuries. Some have spelled the last name Tonessen or Tönnesen, while in countries of the former Yugoslavian states, it is also spelled Toncic.
The last name Tönnessen has a long history, and it was adopted and used by many generations of people living in the German-speaking regions of Europe. While individual variations may exist, the meaning of the last name is the same in all its various forms—“brave one.”
Order DNA origin analysisTönnessen: Where does the name Tönnessen come from?
The last name Tönnessen is most commonly found in Germany, Scandinavia, and northern and central Europe. It is a Germanic last name derived from the word ‘tonne’, meaning ‘barrel’.
The primary area where Tönnessen is found is Lower Saxony, a northwestern land in Germany. Here, it is a last name mainly found on the west coast. It is also found in the Westphalian cities of Hamm and Bocholt. As for Denmark and Norway, it is most common in the eastern regions of both countries. In the Netherlands, the provinces of Limburg and Drenthe in the southeast are where the name is found most frequently.
The Tönnessen last name is also found predominantly in northern and central Europe. On the Polish-German border, it is present in the city of Poznań and Gorzów Wielkopolski, and also in rural areas such as Brandenburg in Germany and Silesia in Poland. Meanwhile, further north in Sweden, it’s most common in Uppsala.
In addition, the Tönnessen last name is also found in the United States of America. In fact, many first- and second-generation immigrants from Europe to the US have kept their Tönnessen last name (with various spellings). It is seen across the West Coast of the US in cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland. It is estimated that there are around 6000 people with the Tönnessen last name in the US as of today.
Therefore, the last name Tönnessen has remained a strong presence in Europe and has now spread across the globe, remaining one of the most common Germanic surnames today.
Variations of the surname Tönnessen
The surname Tönnessen is derived from a Germanic place-name meaning “enclosure by a stream or small river” and is found primarily in the Low Countries and Germany. Variants of the name include Tönnissen, Tennessen, Denissen, Tönnig, Tenning, and Tönnemann. In the United States, the surname has been simplified to Tennison and Tonneson.
The earliest recorded instances of the Tönnessen name date back to the mid-1600s, when a family of the name resided in the Prussian Province of Schleswig Holstein in the area around Steinberg and Rethwisch. In the late 1700s, a branch of the family emigrated to America and settled in Ohio and Iowa.
The spelling of the name has varied significantly over time. In Germany, the spelling tended to be Tönnessen or Tönnissen, while in America the spellings Tönnig, Tenning, and Tennison were more commonly found. The surname also underwent slight modifications in other countries. For example, in the Netherlands, the name was often spelled as Denissen, whereas in Denmark, it was often modified to Tonneson.
Regardless of the spelling, however, the Tönnessen name carries a long and distinguished history and is now found among families of various nationalities all over the world.
Famous people with the name Tönnessen
- Johan Tönnessen: Norwegian football midfielder.
- Jon Tønnessen: Norwegian football defender.
- Markus Tønnessen: Norwegian guitarist and composer.
- Pål Tønnesen: Norwegian sailor.
- Anni Tønnisen: Norwegian actress.
- Josefine Tønnessen: Norwegian actress best known for her role as Magdalene in the Netflix series Quicksand.
- Marie Tønnessen: Norwegian sculpture artist and painter.
- Filip Tønnessen: Norwegian Cross Country Skier and cross-country running athlete.
- Karen Margrete Tønnessen: Norwegian sculptor and photographer.
- Helge Tønnessen: Norwegian mathematician, astronomer, and professor emeritus.