Surname Davidsen - Meaning and Origin
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Davidsen: What does the surname Davidsen mean?
The Danish-Norwegian last name Davidsen has multiple possible origins. One is derived from the Jewish biblical name David, meaning “beloved”. The second potential origin for the last name is derived from the Norse personal name “Dagfinn” and a Middle Low German last name “Davidsen”, meaning “the son of David.”
The Davidsen surname predominantly originates from the Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. As international trade and immigration increased, the Davidsen name became dispersed in many countries through the diaspora of Nordic populations in the 17th and 18th centuries. The name is now seen in nearly every country around the world, with the largest reported Davidsen populations in Norway, the U.S., and Canada.
Evidently, the Davidsen last name connotes a familial link to a beloved figure from the Bible. It is a strong, proud tradition for the descendants of its bearers to live up to its namesake’s beloved legacy, and the namesake itself has become a part of their identity, a reminder of where they came from and the values they must uphold.
Order DNA origin analysisDavidsen: Where does the name Davidsen come from?
The last name Davidsen is Danish in origin and is most commonly found in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is also found in other parts of Europe, though not as frequently. Davidsen is the 99th most common name in Denmark, with over 7,600 people possessing that surname. In Norway, it ranks at #475 out of 520 Norwegian surnames. In Sweden, it ranks #517 out of the 600 most common surnames.
The surname is also found in the United States. It is estimated that around 800 people possess the surname Davidsen. Most of these people are believed to be descendants of Danish immigrants who came to the United States in the mid-to-late 19th century. The Davidsen family can also be traced to parts of Canada, Australia, and other countries around the world.
The meaning behind the surname is still a mystery. Most sources suggest that the name is derived from the Old Norse name "David" and means "son of David." Others suggest that the name comes from the Middle HighGerman name "Dawid," meaning "beloved" or "dearly beloved." Whatever the case, the Davidsen surname is a reminder of the legacy of the Danish people.
Variations of the surname Davidsen
The surname Davidsen is a Danish patronymic surname, which means 'son of David'. There are several variations, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Davidsen. These include: Davidsson, Davisson, Davids, Davison, Davidzan, Davysson and Davidsdottir.
The common English-language spelling of the surname is Davidsen. Other spellings are synonymous with this, such as the alternative versions Davison and Davidson. The -son suffix is often used in Danish and Germanic names, indicating that the bearer is the ‘son of’ a particular father, which in this case is the name David.
The alternative spelling Davidson is usually associated with Scottish and Northern Irish surnames. The variants Davidson and Davison are also derived from son of David. In some cases, the surname Davidson is spelt with an extra 'e' to make the surname Davidsen, Merriam-Webster notes.
The spelling Davidsdottir is the Icelandic version of the surname and is the patronymic form of Davidsen, meaning 'daughter of David'. It would be more common for a woman to have Davidsdottir as her surname, rather than Davidsen.
In some cases, the spelling of the surname has changed overtime, from Davidsen to Davysson. This is believed to be derived from the shortened version of David, which is Davy. Lastly, the surname Davidzan is a less common variant of Davidsen, which can be found in a few locations around the world.
Famous people with the name Davidsen
- Kai Davidsen: Professional counsel and director of Human Resources for the Reimagine Group.
- Fabian Davidsen: Electronic Music Producer from Denmark.
- Lars Henrik Davidsen: Danish rower who competed at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games.
- Paul Davidsen: Danish Paralympic athlete who won gold in the 1x PR1 Men's Single Sculls at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.
- Erland Davidsen: Danish professional basketball player who currently plays for the Danish League club Horsens IC.
- Kirsten Davidsen: Danish Singer, songwriter, and actress.
- Berit Davidsen: Norwegian photographer and artist based in Oslo.
- Maria Davidsen: Norwegian painter and sculptor.
- Niels Davidsen: Danish former professional cyclist.
- Amalie Davidsen: Danish school teacher and writer.