Surname Martienssen - Meaning and Origin
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Martienssen: What does the surname Martienssen mean?
The surname Martienssen is a patronymic name, originating from the personal or first name Martin. The name Martin was originally derived from the Latin Martinus, meaning “warlike” or “dedicated to Mars”. The patronymic ending "-sse" or "-essen" of the name would mean “son of Martin” or “descendant of Martin”.
The Martienssen surname is common throughout Europe, particularly in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Scandinavian countries. In the Netherlands, the variant spelling Martins is more common, although many may have adopted Martienssen due to emigration.
Martienssen families have a long history of living in central and northern Europe, and are found widely throughout the region. Some regions, particularly the Lower Rhineland in Germany, may have adopted the name from the Middle High German word Martinszein, referring to a relic or g sociation to the Apostle St. Martin.
During the Middle Ages, many Martienssen families rose to prominent positions, particularly in the Netherlands and Germany, and were recorded in several political and territorial documents during that period. In the 19th and 20th centuries, some of the family emigrated to the United States, South Africa, Canada and elsewhere. Those who remain in Europe continue to be largely concentrated in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the Scandinavian countries.
Order DNA origin analysisMartienssen: Where does the name Martienssen come from?
The last name Martienssen is mainly seen in German-speaking countries today, including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is one of the less common surnames in those countries, but there are still some individuals with this name.
The origins of this surname are not entirely clear, although some sources indicate that it originated in Lower Saxony. In some cases, it is derived from two words, 'mar' meaning 'sea' and 'tiens' meaning 'tenant'. This would suggest a perhaps unlikelihood that the surname was originally associated with marine activities such as fishing or transportation.
However, another possibility is that the surname comes from the German word 'mart' or 'mark' meaning 'boundary' or 'border'. This could suggest that the first Martienssens were either border agents, or those connected with landowners or people involved with hunting near a boundary marker.
The early history of the Martienssen surname is found in the records of Lower Saxony. Records from the 16th century show the Martienssen name associated with the towns of Schoningen, Osterode and Bad Gandersheim. It is also recorded in other regions of Germany as well, particularly in Wurttemburg and Saxony.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Martienssen name was still found mainly in German-speaking countries, but it's presence had already spread to other parts of Europe, such as Austria and Switzerland. However, during the Seventh centuries, many people of this name left Europe, so the surname has since become more rare outside of Germany’s borders.
Today, the Martienssen name can still be found in the countries of its origin, with the majority of those with the surname living in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Variations of the surname Martienssen
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Martienssen include:
Martensen, Martinsen, Martenzen, Martens, Marting, Martinson, Martinsdatter, Martinsdotter, Martinsonn, and Martins.
Martensen is the Danish version of the sparsely-used surname Martienssen, which is derived from a variant of Martin. Martin is derived from the Latin word “martes”, meaning “warrior of Mars”, which was a title of honor given to devote worshippers of the god Mars.
Martens is a separate German-derived version of the surname. It is a patronymic surname that derives from the given name Martin, and it was most commonly found in the Netherlands. It has also seen common use as a surname in the United States, though the spelling variations are much different.
The Norwegian version of the surname Martin is Martinsen, which is derived from Martin itself. Many English surnames, however, are derived from Martinson, including Martinson-Door, Martinesdon, and Martinsdottir.
For its part, Martzen is a modification of Martinsen, but is very different in origin as it is derived from the Latin word Martius. It is commonly found in the Netherlands and Germany.
Finally, Marting is a rare surname derived from Martin itself. It was most commonly used in the Netherlands and Germany, and variants exist in countries like France and the United Kingdom.
Famous people with the name Martienssen
- Lili Martienssen, German singer and actress
- Felix Martinessen, Swedish designer and author
- Gustaf Martienssen, Swedish politician
- Larry Martienssen, Canadian musician
- Oke Martienssen, Dutch cyclist
- Alfred Martienssen, German mathematician
- Ole Martienssen, Danish TV presenter
- Kristina Martienssen, German director and actress
- Ansgar Martienssen, German actor
- Verena Martienssen, German actor
- B Wolff Martienssen, Danish artist
- Henning Martienssen, German physicist
- Maria Martienssen, Swedish architect