Surname Faasen - Meaning and Origin
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Faasen: What does the surname Faasen mean?
The last name Faasen is of Dutch origin and means "seaman" or "sailor". This occupational surname likely originated when the profession of sailing and fishing was common among lowland Dutch.
Although Faasen doesn't have its own coat of arms, its origin can be traced back to the Dutch province of Zeeland, where the coat of arms of the noble family "van Vasse" is known. This family of knights was important in this province, which makes it likely that Faasen descends from them.
One of the earliest records of the surname to be found is of Jan Claesen Faasen, a mate on a Dutch trading ship sailing between Scotland and Holland in 1634.
The Faasen surname exists in many parts of the world today, from the Netherlands to the United States, Germany, South Africa and Australia. It is most common across the regions of West Friesland and Zeeland in the Netherlands, indicating this is likely where the Faasens originally originated.
One of the most famous contemporary figures to carry the name Faasen is the Dutch showman and television personality John de Faasen, otherwise known as Professor Phisto or Professor Fiasco. He is known for wearing outlandish outfits in bizarre characters, often for comedic purposes.
Order DNA origin analysisFaasen: Where does the name Faasen come from?
The last name Faasen is mostly found in The Netherlands today. The vast majority of the family can be traced back to the town of Egmond in Noord-Holland province. A small number of Faasen have migrated to other areas over the centuries, most notably North America and South Africa.
Records in Holland date back to the mid 16th century. The family surname likely originates from the Dutch word ‘vassen’, which means a piece of land that is owned and bordered by shallow water. Some argue that Faasen is actually derived from the word ‘vosse’ or fox, due to the numerous foxes that used to live in the area.
In The Netherlands, the majority of the Faasen still reside in Noord-Holland province. Faasen can also be found in other provinces including Utrecht, Flevoland, Zeeland, and North Brabant. A small number of families have migrated to other countries, primarily the Unites States, Canada and South Africa.
The rare surname of Faasen is distinct and unique. Despite common misconceptions, the name has nothing to do with foxes, but instead refers to a piece of land with shallow water. Today, the majority of Faasen can still be found in The Netherlands, particularly Noord-Holland, but there are a few that have migrated to other parts of the world, most notably North America and South Africa.
Variations of the surname Faasen
The Faasen surname is usually found across northwestern Europe, particularly in areas around the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium, as well as other countries which were once parts of the Netherlands.
The Faasen surname has a ton of variants with a range of spellings. The most common spelling is Fassen and Fassen, with variations including Faesen, Faessen, Faessens, Faasen, Faassen, Fassen, Fassens, Faessen, Faesser, Fassie, Fasen, Fâssen, and Fassan. Additionally, Faasen is sometimes also spelled as Fâsse, Fâsen, Fâsan, Fäsan, Fässen, Fäss, Fässe, Fässer, Fässler, Faße, Faß, and Faßen.
In German, the Faasen surname is spelled with an “a” and is can be written as Faas, Faes, and Fass.
In Belgium, there is a variant of the Faasen surname that is spelled as Vaesen or Vassen. The Vaesen spelling is derived from the Middle Dutch Vaesen which was a diminutive of Vaer, meaning knight.
The most common surnames that are related to Faasen are Fassel, Fassler, Fasbender, Faser, Fasse, and Vaser. These all have Dutch origins, with Fasser being the closest to the original Faasen surname.
Altogether, there are 17 variants for the Faasen surname, as well as 6 surnames related to its origin.
Famous people with the name Faasen
- Erik Faasen: Erik Faasen is a Dutch engineer and clean technology entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of the sustainable aviation technology company, Ampaire.
- Morris Faasen: Morris Faasen, born in the Dutch East Indies in 1899, was a Dutch-American entrepreneur and owner of the Detroit-based Dekker and Faasen Wholesale Grocers.
- Bud Faasen: Bud Faasen, born in the highlands of Scotland in 1907, was a Dutch-Canadian ornithologist who helped discover over one hundred new species of birds.
- Dirk Faasen: Dirk Faasen is a Dutch biologist, who is an expert on marine ecology with a specialization in coastal systems management.
- Gert Faasen: Gert Faasen was a Dutch-Canadian sculptor, who worked mainly in bronze and forged metal.
- Herman Faasen: Herman Faasen was a Dutch sculptor and ceramicist, who worked primarily in ceramics. He is best known for his reliefs, and his works have been exhibited in museums in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
- Jan Faasen: Jan Faasen was a Dutch footballer who played as a central defender. He played in the Bundesliga for Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Twente, before retiring in 1998.
- Janine Faasen: Janine Faasen is a Dutch theatre and voice director. She is known for her work directing classical adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays in the Netherlands.
- Johan Faasen: Johan Faasen is a Dutch playwright, actor, and director. His plays have been performed at the Rotterdamse Schouwburg, the Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam and the Nationale Toneel.
- Merel Faasen: Merel Faasen is a Dutch artist and sculptor. She is best known for her installations and sculptures made of recycled materials.