Petersen
A Scandinavian patronymic surname meaning “son of Peter.”
The #571 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,280 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Petersen is a patronymic built from the given name Peter plus the Scandinavian son-suffix -sen, so its basic meaning is “Peter’s son.” The name ultimately goes back to the Greek Petros, “rock” or “stone,” which entered European languages through Latin and Christian naming tradition. Historical sources also note it as a Scandinavian form of Peterson and as a common Danish/North German surname pattern.
History
In Denmark and nearby parts of northern Germany, Petersen arose in the older patronymic system where children were identified by their father’s given name. Because that system remained in use longer in Scandinavia than in many other parts of Europe, surnames like Petersen became especially common there. The name spread widely through later migration, including to English-speaking countries, where it is now familiar in the United States and elsewhere.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older Scandinavian naming customs could change from one generation to the next, so a family line might use Petersen for one generation and a different patronymic for the next.
From the historical record
“PETERSON, Peter's Son ( ^' *^^^^'^- PETERSEN, the Scand. form of Peterson, q.v. PETHER, a West. Eng. and Corn, form of Peter, q.v. PETHERICK = Pether (Peter), q.v. + the Corn. dini. sufi. -ik. PETHERIDGE, a palatal form of Petherick, q.v.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)