Meaning & History
Simonsen is a Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Simon 1". It follows the typical Scandinavian naming convention of adding -sen (or -son) to the father's given name. The underlying personal name Simon derives from the New Testament Greek form Σίμων (Simon), itself a rendering of the Hebrew name שִׁמְעוֹן (Shimʿon), meaning "hearing, listening," from the root שָׁמַע (shamaʿ).
Etymology and History
The name Simon is borne by several figures in the Bible, most notably the apostle Simon, whom Jesus renamed Peter (see Matthew 16:18). This has made the personal name Simon widespread in Christian cultures. In England, Simon was popular during the Middle Ages but declined after the Protestant Reformation. In Scandinavia, the patronymic system produced surnames such as Simonsen, which became established as hereditary family names.
Notable Bearers
Notable individuals bearing the surname Simonsen include Danish football player Allan Simonsen (born 1952), Norwegian politician Jan Simonsen (1953–2019), and Danish racing driver Allan Simonsen (1978–2013). The name is also common in various compound forms, such as Ditlev-Simonsen, borne by Norwegian politicians like Per Ditlev-Simonsen (born 1932).
Related Surnames
Equivalents in other languages reflect the same patronymic pattern: Armenian Simonyan, Bulgarian Simeonov and Simeonova, Croatian Šimunović and Šimić, and Slovak Šimon.
- Meaning: "son of Simon"
- Origin: Scandinavian patronymic from the personal name Simon
- Usages: Danish, Norwegian
- Root Name: Simon 1 (from Hebrew Shimʿon)
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Simonsen