Simonsen
A Scandinavian patronymic surname meaning “son of Simon.”
The #9,484 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 90,013 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Simonsen is a patronymic built from the personal name Simon plus the Scandinavian ending -sen, meaning “son of.” The given name Simon ultimately comes from Hebrew Shim‘on, traditionally understood as “he has heard” or “listening.” In this surname, the literal sense is simply “Simon’s son.”
History
The form is especially associated with Denmark and Norway, where -sen surnames are common. It also appears in German onomastic writing as a recognized patronymic form. In English-speaking countries it has usually been carried by immigrant families or their descendants rather than arising independently.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The ending -sen is one of the clearest clues to Scandinavian patronymic naming: it usually signals a father’s given name rather than an occupational or place-based surname.
From the historical record
“Siemon. Zss. Simonniathes. Gen. (lat.) Simonis — (deutsch) Simofis, Symons; Siemens. Patr. Zss. Simonsen. Hennann u.Paul Simon, angenommene Söhne der verwitweten Frau Adelgunde V. Kleist, geb. v. Zastrow, 1855 geadelt: Simon r. Zastrow.”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen