Surname Thompsen - Meaning and Origin

Thompsen: What does the surname Thompsen mean?

Thompsen is a patronymic surname of Danish and Scottish origin, meaning "son of Thom(p)". It is derived from the personal name Thomas, an Aramaic name that means "twin". The use of "sen" or "son" at the end is a Nordic tradition, used to indicate descent or lineage. Hence, "Thompsen" suggests a historical familial connection to an ancestor named Thom or Thomas. Over generations, it has become a family name and is used regardless of whether the bearers are actually sons of a man named Thomas. Thompsen is less common than the spelling "Thompson", but they share the same etymology and meaning. Like many last names, it was originally a way to differentiate individuals with the same first name in smaller communities, and to identify personal relationships. Today, Thompsen and other surnames serve as identifiers of family heritage.

Thompsen: Where does the name Thompsen come from?

The surname Thompsen is most commonly found in North America, particularly in the United States and Canada. The earliest evidence of the Thompsen surname in the New World was in the early 1700s in Pennsylvania and Virginia. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was quite common in New England, where it was often spelled "Thompson," and Pennsylvania. Today, Thompsen can be found in every state of the US, particularly in areas that were once part of the original colonies, but there are also numerous Thompsens scattered across the nation.

In Canada, the name is largely focused around the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. Here, too, the surname is often spelled Thompson. It is also found in other parts of North America, such as Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and Brazil, though the frequency is much lower.

Overall, Thompsen is a fairly common name in North America, although the exact number of individuals bearing this name across the continent is difficult to ascertain. It is likely the result of multiple waves of immigration from various European countries, with records showing that it is of Dutch and German origin.

Variations of the surname Thompsen

The surname Thompsen is also known by various other spellings including Thompson, Thompsons, Thomson, Thomsen, Thomson, Thompson, Thompsonstown, and Thomson. The origin of the surname is Anglo-Saxon and is believed to be derived from patronymic surnames, which arose out of a denomination given to a father or a male ancestor. In Old English, the name translated to “son of Thom”, and is found in the variants Thom and Thomas. It is often combined with other patronymic sayings such as “son of Thomase” or “son of Thomkin”.

The surname is one of the most frequent surnames in English-speaking countries and is especially widespread in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and Scotland. The surname is also very common among the Scandinavian population, especially in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

In the United States, the Thompson variation of the surname is highly popular. It is among the top 20 most population surnames in the United States. Other variants of the surname, such as Thompsen, Thomsen, Thomson, and Thomason, can also be found throughout the country.

The surname Thompsen is a popular surname all over the world and has numerous spellings, variants, and origins. Its spread throughout England, Scotland, Europe, and the United States is a testament to its proliferation in the past centuries.

Famous people with the name Thompsen

• Brigitte Thompsen: Brigitte Thompsen is a Swedish actress, best known for her roles in the Swedish television series ‘Solsidan.’
• Grant Thompson: Grant Thompson was an American television personality who hosted the show ‘The King of Random’ on YouTube; he is considered to be an internet icon.
• Jane Thompson: Jane Thompson is a British television screenwriter and author, best known for her work in the popular British soap opera, Coronation Street.
• Kevin Thompsen: Kevin Thompsen is an American actor, best known for films such as ‘Dark Planet’ and ‘The Uninvited’.
• Emma Thompson: Emma Thompson is an English actress and writer, best known for films such as ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘Love Actually’ and the Harry Potter series.
• Jim Thompson: Jim Thompson was an American author, best known for his best-selling novels ‘The Killer Inside Me’ and ‘The Grifters.’
• Sarah Thompson: Sarah Thompson is an American actress, best known for her role in the TV series ‘Charmed.’
• Gilles Thompsen: Gilles Thompsen is a French economist, who is a member of the Council of Economic Advisors for the French government.
• Bernt Thompsen: Bernt Thompsen is a German-born American philologist and linguist, best known for his work on Germanic literature.
• Tony Thompsen: Tony Thompsen is an American entrepreneur and CEO, best known for his roles in the tech industry.

Other surnames

ThompsettThompson