Surname Karstens - Meaning and Origin
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Karstens: What does the surname Karstens mean?
The last name Karstens is derived from a German surname, originating from a combination of the words 'Kalk' meaning ‘limestone’ and 'Stein' meaning ‘stone’. It is likely that at some point in the past the family lived in an area where the landscape was littered with limestone rock formations or caves, known as a Karst terrain.
In Germany the most common spelling of the Karstens surname is Kärstens, however, variations of the name have been seen since the 1700s when German spellings were more relaxed. As German immigration spread around the world during various time periods, any number of spellings could have been established, resulting in the range of spellings seen today.
The Karstens surname has become very widespread in recent times, due to large German migrations to the United States in the 19th century, and as a result the name has been found in many different countries.
There have also been many notable people with this surname, including German statesman altes rages Gustave Karstens, American Major League Baseball pitcher Pat Karstens, children's author Sally Karstens, and Dutch rower Marrit Karstens.
Today, individuals with the Karstens surname are proud to honor their German heritage and have often worked to research the origin of their surnames.
Order DNA origin analysisKarstens: Where does the name Karstens come from?
Karstens is a Germanic surname that has since spread throughout the world. Today, Karstens is most commonly found in Germany, where it is ranked as the 517th most common surname in the country. However, it can also be found in other parts of Europe, particularly Northwestern Germany and the Netherlands, as well as in North America. In the United States, Karstens is ranked as the 5,441st most common surname; however, it is more commonly found in Canada, where it is ranked the 1,829th most common surname. Other countries in which Karstens is commonly found include Denmark, Austria, and South Africa. Outside of Europe, Karstens is also commonly found in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Venezuela.
Regardless of where it’s found today, Karstens remains a surname of German roots, reflecting the growing influence of Germanic surnames worldwide. In Germany, the surname stems from the southern regions of the country, where the oldest recorded instances of the name were found. In other countries, the name may be a result of German migration or even a direct adaptation of the original spelling.
Variations of the surname Karstens
The surname Karstens or Karstensen is of Danish and North German origin. It is derived from the Dutch word “karst” meaning “fair-haired,” referring to people with light-colored hair. The Karstens variant of this surname has various spellings, including Karsten, Karstensen, Karsting, Karstin, Kartsen, Kartsing, and Kartsmann. These alternatives can be found among the people who changed the spelling of their surnames during immigration to other countries.
Variants of the Karstens surname can also be found in areas with significant immigrant populations, including America, Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. These variations include Karstein, Karstine, Kàrstin, Kartsen, and Karstins. Additionally, in the United Stated, the surname Karsten is common among individuals of German descent, while the spelling Kurstens is more common among individuals of Dutch descent.
The Karstens surname is also found in other countries, such as Sweden, Norway, and France. Variants of this name in these countries include Kerstens, Kersten, Kerstin, Kertens, Kerts, Kerstignol, and Kerstener. Most people with a Scandinavian or French origin who have the Karstens surname can trace their ancestry to the area of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
In some cases, the Karstens surname has been shortened to Kast or Kasten, or lengthened to Kaster. A few other variants include Kaerstensen, Kaerstins, and Kaersten. In some cases, the letters “v”, “z”, or “ij” are substituted for other letters, or vice versa. For instance, “Karsztensz” or “Kaerstijns” are variations of the same surname.
Thus, there are numerous variants and spellings of the Karstens surname. It is important to remember that all of these variations are derived from the same source, and they all have the same meaning—“fair-haired” or “light-haired.”
Famous people with the name Karstens
- Henning Karstens: Professional freestyle skier from Norway
- Karl Karstens: Former German athlete and Olympic discus thrower
- Adriaan Karstens: Former Dutch cyclist and six-time national champion
- Russell Karstens: New Zealand swimmer who represented his country at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
- Jeanette Karstens: French world-class biathlete who competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics
- Henrik Karstens: Swedish professional golfer who has won five European Tour events
- Kirt Karstens: American Major League Baseball pitcher
- Marc Karstens: Former German handball player and member of the German national team
- Johannes Karstens: Dutch football midfielder, playing for the Dutch side VVV-Venlo
- Ronny Karstens: Belgian professional BMX rider and multiple-time European Champion