Surname Thamsen - Meaning and Origin
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Thamsen: What does the surname Thamsen mean?
The last name Thamsen is of Germanic origin, and is derived from the given name Thomas. In its earliest forms, the name was spelled Thomassen or Thomessen. The name likely referred to a patronymic or personal name such as Thomas, which means “twin” in Hebrew. Later on, the spelling of the name changed to Thamsen to indicate the bearer of the name was related to the earlier incarnation of the name.
The root of the Thamsen last name is the given name Thomas, a debated name originating from several cultures across Europe. In some countries, it is attributed to the Aramaic language, translating to “twin”. In other countries, it is attributed to the Greek language, translating to “twin”. The name has been popularized over the the centuries by various religious stories and figures including the followers of Jesus, St. Thomas in the Bible as well as the medieval patron saint of France, Thomas Becket.
Tracing back the Thamsen surname, the family most likely originated from the Germanic region of Europe where the most common language spoken was German. Records indicate that people of the Thamsen name started to appear as early as the 15th century in various regions of Germany.
The Thamsen last name is a unique name, representing a family with remarkable heritage. It is an enduring name that has long held a proud sense of history, culture, and tradition.
Order DNA origin analysisThamsen: Where does the name Thamsen come from?
The last name Thamsen is rare to find today. It is mainly concentrated in select parts of the world, most predominantly in Germany, where it is believed to have originated. Thamsen is usually a patronymic name, meaning it is derived from the father’s given name. It is believed that the first recorded use of the name Thamsen was in the year 1344 in North Germany, most likely in the state of Schleswig-Holstein.
Today, the Thamsen family name is mostly concentrated in Germany, with only a small number of people in other countries. It is estimated that there are currently less than two thousand Thamsen individuals worldwide. For example, a page dedicated to the surname on the genealogy website Geni, states that only 1,701 people bear the last name. That page is dedicated to those individuals and is actually titled “Thamsen family worldwide.”
The name Thamsen is most commonly found throughout the northern parts of Germany, including regions such as Schleswig, Holstein, Lower Saxony and Hamburg. In Germany, Thamsen is also found in more rural and remote areas, as many people still keep their old family names. While most Thamsens remain in Germany, some members of the family have since moved away, mainly to other parts of Europe, the United States, and even South Africa.
In conclusion, the Thamsen surname is a rare one, is most commonly found in Germany, and still to this day has an estimated global population of less than 2,000 people.
Variations of the surname Thamsen
The surname Thamsen has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common spelling of Thamsen is Thomsen, which originated in Denmark and Norway. It's also written as Thomsen, Thomassen, Thomasson, Tomsen, and Tomasson. In Sweden, the surname is spelled Thomasson.
In Germany, the surname is spelled Thamsen with an 'A', as well as Daemsen and Daems, with its origin likely connected to the word "damm", meaning "stone". It can also be written as Daemsun, Daemsin, Drymsen, Drismuen, and Drismain.
In the Netherlands, it is usually spelled Thamsen, but it can also be written as Tamius, Tamsen, Tammsen, Themmen, Themasius, and Tamminga.
In England and the United States, it is spelled Thomsen, Tomson, and Thompson.
Other spellings and surnames of the same origin include Tham, Thomeisen, Thoemsen, Thoems, Thomesen, Toemsen, and Thomsan.
All of these surnames can be traced back to a single ancestor, who likely adopted the surname due to their family's residence near a stone wall.
Famous people with the name Thamsen
- Lena Thamsen: Lena Thamsen is a Danish director, producer, and actress who is most known for her debut feature film A Time in Norway, which follows the narrative of a Danish professor living in Norway who is ashamed of his father's Nazi past.
- Oda Thamsen: Oda Thamsen is a Danish fashion designer and former model who was featured on the cover of several international magazines including Vogue.
- Maren Thamsen: Maren Thamsen is a Danish actress who has appeared in several films, tv series, and stage productions. Her most notable television roles include No Man's Land and The Killing.
- Hermann Thamsen: Hermann Thamsen is a German actor and director best known for his roles as the lead in the German version of the musical Sound of Music and his starring role in the historical drama Krabat.
- Troels Thamsen: Troels Thamsen is a Danish composer and music producer who has collaborated with some of the leading Danish stars including Tim Christensen and Rasmus Seebach.
- Lorentz Thamsen: Lorentz Thamsen is a Danish writer, filmmaker, and film archivist whose work has been the subject of the documentary films Bjarne Reuter: A World of Stories and When We Were Big: The Lorentz Thamsen Story.
- Elin Thamsen: Elin Thamsen is a Danish singer and actor known for her appearances in the musical Mamma Mia! and the more recent stage play How to Catch a Prince.
- Theodor Thamsen: Theodor Thamsen was a Danish historian, librarian, and archivist who specialized in historical Danish literature. He is most known for his work in cataloguing the archive of the Danish Royal Library.