Meaning & History
Arntzen is a Dutch patronymic surname, meaning it originally designated "son of Arend." The name Arend itself is a Dutch and German variant of Arnold, which derives from the Germanic elements arn ("eagle") and walt ("power"), giving the overall meaning "eagle power." The suffix -zen is a common Dutch patronymic ending, akin to -sen in Danish and -son in English.
Geographic Distribution and Variants
Primarily found in the Netherlands and among Dutch emigrant communities, Arntzen has several cognate forms in other languages and regions. These include Arends, Arendsen, and Aartsen (all Dutch), as well as Arnaud in French and Naldi in Italian. In Afrikaans (spoken in South Africa), the form Arendse is common, reflecting the strong Dutch linguistic heritage in that country.
Notable Bearers
According to Wikipedia, individuals with the surname Arntzen have excelled in politics, the arts, and science. In Norwegian politics, notable bearers include Andreas Arntzen (1777–1837) and Karelius August Arntzen (1802–1876). Arthur Arntzen (1906–1997) served as a Norwegian Labour Party politician, while his namesake Arthur Arntzen (1937–2025) was a journalist and humorist. In Canada, Haakon Arntzen was a politician, while Charles Arntzen is an American plant molecular biologist. The artistic world includes Canadian musician Holly Arntzen and Lloyd Arntzen (born 1927), a jazz clarinettist. In sports, Norwegian handball player Emilie Hegh Arntzen (born 1994) has achieved international success. The Luftstreitkräfte flying ace Heinrich Arntzen (1894–unknown) also bears the name.
These diverse notable bearers illustrate how the surname, despite its relatively small numbers, has spread across professions and continents while retaining its Dutch patronymic roots.
- Meaning: "son of Arend" (Arend = Dutch variant of Arnold, meaning "eagle power")
- Origin: Dutch patronymic surname
- Extended meaning: Indirectly derived from the Germanic roots for eagle and power/authority
- Common regions: Netherlands, with diasporic populations in Canada, United States, South Africa
- Variants: Arends, Arendsen, Aartsen (Dutch); Arendse (Afrikaans); Arnaud (French); Naldi (Italian)
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Arntzen