JOHANSEN
Johansen is a patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin, meaning “son of Johan”. The given name Johan derives from the Latin Johannes, itself a form of the Greek Ioannes, a name that translates as “God is gracious”. The suffix -sen indicates descent from a male ancestor, a custom common throughout Norway and Denmark.
The earliest surviving record of the name is dated 1230, found in the Close Rolls of the county of Suffolk during the reign of King Henry XI. In the same century the name appears in German charters as Walterus filius Johannis and in English records as Thomas John in the 1279 Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire. These early uses illustrate the spread of the Christian name John across Europe following the Crusades, after which many descendants adopted patronymic surnames.
In Norway the surname was originally recorded as Johanssøn (and occasionally Johansdatter for a daughter), while in Sweden the form Johansson (or Johansdotter in the feminine) was common. During the Scandinavian naming reform the suffixes were simplified to the modern -sen and -son. The surname is now most frequently seen in Norway and Sweden, but it can also be found in Denmark, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, reflecting the migration patterns of Scandinavians.
Statistical data demonstrate the surname’s prominence. In Norway about 20,000 individuals bear the name, making it the sixth most common surname in that country. Denmark records approximately 13,000 bearers. In the United States the surname is the twenty‑seventh most common family name, with around 233,000 people carrying it, the name being particularly prevalent in the Midwest and the West. In Canada the surname ranks sixteenth, with roughly 26,000 holders. Across the world, even where the name has dispersed widely, the Scandinavian form remains recognisable and culturally significant.
Beyond its numerical prevalence, Johansen retains a strong association with Christian tradition, being one of the most widely used surnames that traces back to the biblical figure of Yochanan. The name’s continuity from the 12th century to the present day underscores its enduring legacy within Scandinavian societies and beyond.
Typical given names associated with the Johansen surname
Male
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Karl
- Lars
- Mark
- Michael
- Morten
- Paul
- Per
- Peter
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Dawn
- Doreen
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Inger
- Kirsten
- Lisa
- Nicola
- Nina
- Patricia
- Sandra
- Sarah
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
- Janson
- Jenson
- Joensen
- Johanesen
- Johanessen
- Johannesen
- Johanneson
- Johannessen
- Johannesson
- Johannisson
- Johannsen
- Johannson
- Johannsson
- Johanson
- Johansons
- Johanssen
- Johansson
- Johnsen
- Johnssen
- Johonson
- Jonsen
- Juhanson
- Jainsen
- Joanson
- Johanes
- Johnson
- Johnsson
- Johnston
- Johnstone
- Johnton
- Johson
- Jonasson
- Jonsson
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Johansen in...
Braille
⠚⠕⠓⠁⠝⠎⠑⠝
Morse
.------.....--.....-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 881 people named Johansen in the UK. That makes it roughly the 8,158th most common surname in Britain. Around 14 in a million people in Britain are named Johansen.
Origin: Scandinavian
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: Norway
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Norwegian
