Surname Tijssen - Meaning and Origin
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Tijssen: What does the surname Tijssen mean?
Tijssen is a Dutch surname with its roots in the Netherlands. It is essentially a patronymic surname, which denotes that it is derived from the first name of a father. The suffix '-sen' or '-s' is typical in Dutch names and indicates 'son of.' In this case, 'Tijssen' can be translated to 'son of Thijs' (or Mathijs, a Dutch form of Matthew). Therefore, an individual carrying the Tijssen surname may have descended from a paternal line in which 'Thijs' was a prevalent first name. The use of patronymic surnames was particularly widespread in the Netherlands until the Napoleonic era, when fixed familial surnames were made compulsory. However, it must be remembered that over time and migration, the etymological origins of a surname may cease to hold much cultural or familial significance for its bearers.
Order DNA origin analysisTijssen: Where does the name Tijssen come from?
The last name Tijssen is a common Dutch surname, and it is most commonly seen in the Netherlands. It is a patronymic name, which originated from a person's father's first name, and as such, the name is quite popular in the Netherlands. It is also common in Belgium and Germany. The Dutch spelling of Tijssen is typically Tijssen or Tijsen, but there are several variations including Teeissen, Tiessen, and Tiejsens.
The Netherlands is the birthplace of the Tijssen surname, and it is one of the top 50 surnames in the nation. The Netherlands has one of the most highly fluctuating population levels in terms of ethnicities, and the Tijssen surname is still commonly found in the Dutch community, especially in the Krimpenerwaard area.
Another well-known region for the Tijssen name is the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly in the city of Düsseldorf. Here, it is one of the top 100 names among local citizens, and its variants are also widely seen in other regions of Germany, including Lower Saxony and Bavaria.
Finally, the Tijssen family can also be found in Belgium, particularly in the Flemish region and near the Dutch border. Statistics from 2020 showed it as one of the top 20 last names in the country.
In summary, the last name Tijssen is most commonly found in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. Variations of the name can still be seen in all three countries, proving it has a strong geographical connection and continues to be popular in these areas.
Variations of the surname Tijssen
The surname Tijssen (also spelled Tijsse, Tijss, Tiejsse, Tiejs, Tiess and Tiesse) all originate from the Dutch personal name ‘Tije’, a shortened version of the Old German name ‘Theoderic’. This name was especially popular in the area of Overijssel and Gelderland in the Netherlands and records of the surname stretch back to the fourteenth century.
Tijssen is the most widely used variant of the surname today and it is most commonly found in northern regions of the Netherlands. This spelling even survived in the New World where descendants of the original Dutch settlers rub alongside the name Tiessen.
The spelling Tiessen is especially popular in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, where descendants of Dutch settlers from the Netherlands and Germany have settled since the seventeenth century. However, the name Tiessen is also found in the United States, particularly in the states of New Jersey and Nebraska.
The spelling Tiejsse was also used during the seventeenth century in Zeeland, on the Netherlands’ southwest coast. The name is derived from the Old Dutch personal name ‘Tieso’ and eventually evolved into Tijsse. Tijs is another spelling found in the Netherlands, especially in the Dutch region of Limburg.
Finally, the name Tiess is derived from the German ‘Theiss’, which is how the Dutch surname was pronounced in German-speaking Europe. It is still found in parts of France, Switzerland and Austria today. As such, there are numerous variants of the surname Tijssen and it is highly likely that two people with the same surname might have ancestors from different parts of Europe.
Famous people with the name Tijssen
- Martijn Tijssen: Martijn Tijssen is a Dutch public affairs consultant and political strategist who has worked for numerous Dutch governments and is currently the founder and CEO of political consultancy firm Tijssen Professional Affairs.
- Roel Tijssen: Roel Tijssen is a Dutch diplomat who served as Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Austria from 2009 to 2016.
- Kiki Tijssen: Kiki Tijssen is a Dutch actress and model, best known for her roles in the Dutch television series Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden, and various films such as Soof and The Moment that I Feared.
- Greetje Tijssen: Greetje Tijssen is a Dutch former model, television presenter, and author who was also one of the first Dutch models to gain international recognition.
- Axel Tijssen: Axel Tijssen is a former Dutch professional tennis player who competed for the Netherlands in Davis Cup and was ranked as high as #87 in singles on the ATP Tour.
- Tom Tijssen: Tom Tijssen is a Dutch professional tennis coach and former player who has coached various renowned players such as Marion Bartoli and Richard Gasquet during his career.
- Henk Tijssen: Henk Tijssen is a former Dutch politician, entrepreneur, and author who was a member of parliament from 2006 to 2011 and served as Vice-Chair of the CDA parliamentary party at that time.
- Meindert Tijssen: Meindert Tijssen is a Dutch politician, former mayor of Roosendaal and current leader of the local political party ZO! in that city.
- Sjoerd Tijssen: Sjoerd Tijssen is a Dutch economist and research director at the Rabobank, a major international financial institution.