Surname Mathiassen - Meaning and Origin

Mathiassen: What does the surname Mathiassen mean?

The last name Mathiassen is a patronymic surname deriving from the popular given name 'Mathias'. Mathias is a biblical name derived from 'Mattathias' and is the name of one of Jesus' apostles. It was very popular in the Middle Ages and means "Gift of the Lord".

The Scandinavian variant 'Mathiassen' is a combination of the shortened version of the given name 'Mathias', and the common Danish/Norwegian suffix -sen, which is derived from the Latin patronymic ending -es. The -sen suffix was added to many patronymic names during the Middle Ages. In this case, it is used to indicate that the bearer is probably the son of someone named Mathias.

The Mathiassen surname is found mainly in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is also found very occasionally in the Netherlands, Germany, and the U.S. According to official documents in Denmark, the Mathiassen surname has been around since at least the late 1500s, when it was recorded in Baronial records. Today, Mathiassen families can be found spread around Scandinavia and the rest of the world.

Mathiassen: Where does the name Mathiassen come from?

The last name Mathiassen is most commonly found in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. This is due to the fact that the name is of Scandinavian origin, and the three nations have remained close-knit over the centuries.

In Denmark, Mathiassen is the 226th most popular surname, with over 4,200 people with the name currently residing in the country. Most people with the name live in the capital, Copenhagen, but there are also smaller pockets of people with the name in various other cities and towns in Denmark.

In Sweden, Mathiassen is much rarer than in Denmark, but still appears as the 1022nd most common surname. In the past, Mathiassens were most common in Gotland, but the largest concentrations of the name are now to be found in Stockholm, and various other large urban areas in Sweden.

Norway has the highest concentration of Mathiassens of the three Scandinavian countries, with the name appearing as the 203rd most common surname in the country. Most of the Mathiassens in Norway live near the northern cities of Tromso and Bergen, as well as in the capital city of Oslo.

Despite its Scandinavian origins, the name Mathiassen is relatively rare across the globe. In the United States, it is estimated that only around 2,500 people have the last name, and the same can be said for countries such as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. However, due to increased immigration in recent years, the name may become more common in these regions in the future.

Variations of the surname Mathiassen

The surname Mathiassen is derived from the first name Mathias and is considered patronymic, meaning the surname is derived from a father's given name. Common alternate spellings of Mathiassen are Matthiassen, Mathiessen, and Matthiessen, and regional versions include Matheussen, and Mattheussen. These different spellings are mainly due to regional variations of name spelling in Europe depending on a person's country and language of origin.

Variants of the surname Mathiassen also exist in other countries, many of which are related to the region of origin of one's ancestors. In Germany, this surname is spelled Matthiess and in other parts of Europe, the surname is spelled Mattheuss. In Scandinavia, the surname is spelled Mathiessen or Mathiasen, and in the Netherlands and Belgium, it is spelled Mathijssen or Mathijsen.

In terms of additional surnames, Mathiassen is related to Matthias and the surnames containing it, such as Matthiae, Mathe, Mathews, Mattison, and Matteson. A patronymic version of Mathiassen -- meaning son of Mathias -- is Matthiassen.

Additionally, variants of the name Mathiassen have been anglicized into different surnames, such as Matthews and Mathas in the United States, and Matheson and Matthews in the United Kingdom. Many variants are related, but are distinct surnames in their respective countries of origin.

Famous people with the name Mathiassen

• Thomas Mathiassen: Norwegian professional football player
• Emmeline Mathiassen: Norwegian professional cyclist
• Cecilie Mathiassen: Norwegian international handball player
• Morten Mathiassen: Norwegian retired footballer
• Marius Mathiassen: Norwegian professional football coach
• Arild Mathiassen: Norwegian retired football defender
• John Peter Mathiassen: Norwegian Ambassador to Bolivia, 2008–2009
• Magne Mathiassen: Norwegian professional ice hockey shooter
• Kjetil Mathiassen: Norwegian speed skater
• Dag Mathiassen: Norwegian author, journalist, documentary filmmaker and photographer

Other surnames

MathiasMathiasen