Surname Pauelsen - Meaning and Origin

Pauelsen: What does the surname Pauelsen mean?

The last name Pauelsen is a patronymic surname, meaning that it is derived from a grandfather or earlier ancestor’s personal name. The surname Pauelsen likely derives from the Scandinavian personal name Paul, a Latinized version of the Greek name ‘Paulos’; meaning ‘little’ or ‘humble’.

The first recorded use of the Pauelsen surname is believed to date back to the 13th Century when it was found in the Danish region of Jutland. The European life of the Celtic and Norse people were largely rural and mainly living in small towns and villages. The adoption of surnames began during the Early-Modern period and it was usually a sign of increased social status. During the mid to late Middle Ages, people increasingly used last names to clearly identify family units and in many cases, express their shared loyalties to a given region or town.

The Pauelsen surname was likely also used to distinguish family members from one another. It was common for surnames to be altered slightly, often when a person moved to a different place or changed occupations. With increased migration over the centuries, the Pauelsen surname has spread throughout Europe, including to the large immigrant communities in North America and Australia.

Today, the Pauelsen surname is carried by a mix of people from a variety of locations, ethnicities, and religious denominations, making up a unique global family.

Pauelsen: Where does the name Pauelsen come from?

The last name Pauelsen is considered to be of Germanic origin, but is found today in a number of countries around the world. This indicates that it is probably of multiple origin, and even today has diverse cultural associations.

In the United States and Canada, the name Pauelsen is especially common in states that receive more immigrants from northern Europe, such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, and New York. It is also quite common in the western states of Oregon and Washington, and can be found in relatively smaller numbers throughout the country.

In Europe, the name is found concentrated mainly in Germany, especially around the former East Germany, with some pockets in northern and eastern regions of the Netherlands. The name can also be found in Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, and Nordic countries such as Denmark and Sweden. It may also be found amongst migrant populations in the United Kingdom.

In other parts of the world, the name can be found in countries such as Australia, Israel, and South Africa. It is particularly less common in the French-speaking countries of Europe, as well as countries in South America.

This cross-cultural variety shows the elasticity of the name Pauelsen as it follows its global population around the world. It is an example of a truly global name, transcending language, geography, and culture.

Variations of the surname Pauelsen

The surname Pauelsen is a patronymic surname of Danish and German origin, derived from the given name Paul. The spelling of Pauelsen is the most common variant of this surname, though the spelling Pauels is also seen. Other variants and spellings of the same origin include Paulsen, Poulsen, Pauleysen, Poulesen, Povelsen, Paulesen, Paulausen, Palusen, and Pahlsen.

These variations of the name originate from when the written language was still developing and church officials recorded the language phonetically, depending upon what dialect of languages (such as Danish and German) were spoken in the area at the time. Other times, it is simply due to a person's personal preference on how to spell his name.

Nicknames for the Thurston surname have been derived from the various spellings of the name. People with variations of Pauelsen might be nicknamed Pablo, Paolo, or Paul. Over time, some variations of this surname were also softened either by immigrants in their new land, or by the individuals themselves upon Anglicization to fit their new culture.

It should be noted that all of these variations of Pauelsen are related, and all ultimately refer to the same origin - Paul.

Famous people with the name Pauelsen

• Nicklaus Pauelsen: Danish professional basketball player and coach.
• Kristen Pauelsen: Danish professional football player.
• Anders Pauelsen: Danish former Olympic rower.
• Ole Pauelsen: Danish famous sailor and navigator.
• Leah Pauelsen: American politician and former Wisconsin State Assembly representative.
• Redd Pauelsen: American painter and sculptor.
• Archibald C Pauelsen: American screenwriter and novelist.
• Jonas Pauelsen: Danish professional drummer and arranger.
• Jesper Pauelsen: Danish former footballer and manager of FC Nordsjaelland.
• Alf Pauelsen: Danish painter and former professor at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen.

Other surnames

Pauels