Surname Hemmsen - Meaning and Origin
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Hemmsen: What does the surname Hemmsen mean?
The last name Hemmsen is a German-origin surname. Its origins are uncertain, as it could be an occupational surname related to the trade of hemp production, or derived from a place-name derived from the Middle Low German word “haimen”, meaning “home”.
Early Recordings of the Hemmsen surname include Hannewes Hemmensen in the charters of Worwicke, Saxony, in 1263, and Wernern Hemesen in the charters of Dortmund, Westphalia, in 1385.
In the 16th century, several Hemmsen families migrated from Germany to the United States and parts of Canada. Nowadays, the Hemmsen name can mostly be found in regions associated with German immigration, such as Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ontario.
The Hemmsen surname is believed to translate to “the home of the hemp raiser” in some German dialects. Over time, the name has evolved to several variants, including Hemmsen, Hemsen, Hempiensen, Hemmeesen and Hembsen.
In modern times, the Hemmsen name is still associated with the trade of hemp production and remembered as a surname of German origin.
Order DNA origin analysisHemmsen: Where does the name Hemmsen come from?
Hemmsen is a surname with German origins. It is a habitational name and derived from the name of a place where an ancestor originated or lived, usually derived from the name of the place. The name is most commonly found in Germany, specifically in the states of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Hamburg. The name has become more widespread throughout Europe over the centuries. It is also found in other countries such as the United States, Australia, and Canada. In the United States, the last name Hemmsen can be found in the following states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Texas, California, and Oregon. The states of Pennsylvania and Michigan have the highest concentrations of Hemmsen’s.
In the present day, the name is not particularly common across the states, especially outside of the places previously mentioned. An individual’s surname is of course a reflection of their personal history and the Hemmsen surname is no exception. The name is a tangible connection to a shared German ancestry, no matter the distance from where the name originated.
Variations of the surname Hemmsen
The surname Hemmsen is a German surname most likely of occupational origin and is found mainly in northern Germany. Alternate spellings of the name include Hemms, Hemmer, Heming, Hemmann, Hemersen, and Hemmensen. Variants of the name include Hautemann, Hautenann, Haummann, Hemp, Henne, Henning, Heine, Heinemann, Heinken, Heinz, Heim, Heims, Heiming, Heimes, Heins, Heisch, Heiske, and Hainze.
The surname can be traced back to Northern Germany as far back as the 14th century when many nobles of Saxony founded a sub-region known as the Hemm district. The Hemm district was located in the south of the Altmark in Pomerania and its people were recorded under the surname Hemmsen.
In some parts of Northern Germany, the name has evolved slightly over the years through the addition of prefixes such as "von", "zu", and "de", creating variants like von Hemmsen, zu Hemmsen, and de Hemmsen. These prefixes reflect the old aristocratic culture of the area and were added to the original surname as a sign of wealth or elevated social status.
Another variant of the name is spelled as Hemsen, historically spelled Hevesen. This variant arose during the 16th century when the name Hemmsen was split into two words: Hevesen. This spelling remained predominantly unchanged in documents until the 19th century.
In addition to these variants and spellings, the Hemmsen surname is believed to be linked to a number of other surnames, such as Heemsen and Hemesen. These are thought to originate from the same ancestor and can be found throughout Germany today.
Famous people with the name Hemmsen
- Caroline Hemmens: actress and model.
- Devin Hemmens: professional dancer.
- Michael Hemmens: fashion photographer.
- Adolphus Hemmsen: German artist and printmaker.
- Helga Hemmsen: professorship at the University of Technology in Münster, Germany.
- Ace Hemmens: professional baseball player.
- Curt Hemmens: Swedish actor and television presenter.
- Major-General John D Hemmens: 19th century British Army officer.
- Therese Hemmsen: Norwegian woman who attended the first women's studies course in Norway, and later became the first woman to receive the Doctor of Laws degree in Norway.
- Bonnie Hemmsen: Canadian author of mystery novels.