Surname Theihsen - Meaning and Origin

Theihsen: What does the surname Theihsen mean?

The last name Theihsen is of German origin and has multiple variations, including Theisen, Thaisan, Taeuschen, and Theisen-Eggers. It is derived from the German word "theissen," which was an occupational name for a brickmaker or tile-setter.

This surname most likely derived from Westphalia, Germany, and its use dates back to the 17th century when it began to take root in areas such as North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.

Another popular interpretation of the name traces its roots to the Dutch language, in which “thijssen” is a variation of "tises," a Saxon word for a young fox. This later became associated with descriptive nicknames for people with fox-like qualities.

Today, the use of the surname is most widespread throughout Germany, but there is an international presence in Europe, North America, and South America, most likely because of its wide-reaching diasporas of German emigrants.

Theihsen is an important surname in German history, representing centuries of cultural legacy and family lines. It stands as a testament of the heritage of the German culture that continues to be shared across generations, continents, and even language barriers.

Theihsen: Where does the name Theihsen come from?

The Theihsen surname is most common in Northern Germany, particularly in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony, as well as Denmark. It is also found with a smaller frequency in the Netherlands and the United States.

In Germany, Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony are two of the most heavily populated regions of the country, which leads to the Theihsen name being particularly prevalent in these areas. The small towns of Sieverstedt, Wiefelstede and Bevern are known for housing a relatively high proportion of Theihsens.

The Theihsen name is also heavily represented in Denmark, particularly in the southern part of the country. Here it is most commonly found in the nearby towns of Middelfart, Odense and Vejen.

The Theihsen name is found to a lesser degree in the United States, although this is not necessarily surprising, as large numbers of Germans emigrated to the States in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Since then, Theihsens have spread throughout the US, although they remain most heavily represented in Midwestern states such as Wisconsin, Colorado, and Iowa.

In the Netherlands, Theihsens can also be found, although not as commonly as in Germany and Denmark. They are primarily clustered around the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Leiden.

It is clear that the Theihsen surname is heavily represented in Northern Germany and Denmark, and to a lesser degree in the US, Netherlands, and other countries. It is likely that its prevalence in these regions today is a result of centuries of cultural migration and intermarriage.

Variations of the surname Theihsen

Theihsen is a German surname, with variants including Thiessen, Thiesen, Tiesen, Tießen, Teisen, Tisen, Theysen, Thaisen and Thaesen. There are also anglicised forms of the name, such as Tice, Tyson and Teese.

Theihsen is thought to have originated in the Rhineland, located in western Germany. It is believed that the name is derived from a personal name comprising the element 'Thio', meaning 'people', and 'safheim', meaning 'homestead'. Therefore, it is assumed that Theihsen was initially a topographic name, used to refer to someone who lived near or at a homestead.

The surname appears to have been fairly common in the late Middle Ages, with references to members of the Theihsen family in various historical records dating back to the 14th century. The earliest known recording of the name is believed to be that of Pruttk Herren Theissen, who appears in the records of the village of Oberehp in 1390.

Theihsen is very common throughout Germany today, with over 130,000 people holding the surname. Other countries with significant numbers of people with Theihsen or its variants include the United States, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. It is also possible to find people with the name in countries further afield, such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Famous people with the name Theihsen

• Vladimir Theihsen: a renowned Russian chess Grandmaster who won the 1981 Moscow Championship.
• Lars Theihsen: a German swimmer who won golds in the 100 meter freestyle and the 4×100 meter freestyle relay at the 1980 Summer Olympics.
• Eike Theihsen: a former German field hockey player who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
• Mark Theihsen: an American visual artist best known for his artwork made with repurposed objects.
• Johann Theihsen: a German pianist and organist who found fame after winning the 1981 Concert Artists Guild Competition.
• Bill Theihsen: an Australian actor who has starred in dozens of television shows and made-for-TV films, including the popular miniseries The Thornbirds.
• Paul Theihsen: an American sculptor and painter from Virginia whose art seeks to evoke a conversation between visible and invisible objects of energy.
• Georg Theihsen: a German railroad engineer who helped build several of the most significant railways of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Friederike Thiehsen: a German screenwriter and author who authored multiple books on the topics of women's rights and the history of European art and design.
• Mike Theihsen: a Canadian-born professional golfer who competed on the Canadian and American golf tours in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Other surnames

TheihsTheihsing