Steffens
A Germanic and Dutch patronymic surname meaning “son of Steffen,” a pet form of Stephen.
The #6,818 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 62,411 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Steffens is a patronymic surname built from the given name Steffen, a short form of Stephen/Stefanus. The final -s means “son of” in many Germanic surname traditions, so the name originally meant “Steffen’s son.” In turn, Steffen goes back to Greek Stephanos, meaning “crown” or “garland.”
History
The name is especially associated with German and Dutch naming practice, and the excerpts explicitly gloss it as a son-form of Steffen. It appears in several regional surname lists and is attested in forms such as Steffens, Steffensma, and related patronymics. Today it is found in German-speaking areas, the Netherlands, and countries shaped by German and Dutch immigration, including the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The underlying personal name Stephen ultimately comes from Greek Stephanos, the same root as the English word “crown.”
From the historical record
“tiffin, D. Steffens, Steffin ; Dch. Stieven ; a p.n. See Stephens tiggant. N. Stigandi ; n.n. (a stepper); A.S. Stigand ; a p.n. ■tiggins. Stekene ; a loc. n.,”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)