Surname Ottesen - Meaning and Origin

Ottesen: What does the surname Ottesen mean?

Ottesen is a Scandinavian surname of Norwegian origin. It is a patronymic name, meaning it derives from the name of a person's father or ancestor. Specifically, Ottesen translates to "son of Otte." The name Otte is derived from the Old Norse personal name Ótti, which is a diminutive of names beginning with Odd-, meaning "point of a weapon". Thus, the surname Ottesen essentially means "son of the one who is like the point of a weapon." It should be noted that in Scandinavian culture, surnames were traditionally not static, meaning that the surname would change with each generation. For instance, a person named Ottesen would have a son whose surname could be Ottesson, meaning "son of Ottesen." However, this practice is not as common today, and most people maintain the inherited family name.

Ottesen: Where does the name Ottesen come from?

Today, the last name Ottesen is most commonly seen in areas with strong Scandinavian heritage, particularly in Norway and Denmark. It is a fairly common name in parts of the United States where there is a large population of Norwegian and Danish immigrants, including the upper Midwest states, mainly Minnesota and Wisconsin. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 6,140 individuals had the last name Ottesen in 2019.

The name is also seen further down the West Coast, on islands off the coast of Washington and also in Oregon and California. Across the Atlantic, the Ottesen surname is fairly common in the Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. It is also seen in large numbers in several cities across Denmark and Germany. As far as the rest of Europe is concerned, the last name is uncommon.

The Ottesen name is related to Scandinavian words that refer to a family or tribe. A likely origin of the surname can be traced back to Ottar, the ancestor of Norway’s oldest monarchy, the Ynglings. It is believed that many of the people that now carry the name are descended from his extended family.

Variations of the surname Ottesen

The surname Ottesen has various spellings, variants, and surnames of the same origin. These include: Oteson, Otesen, Otteson, Ottoson, Ottson, Otson, Otsen, Odteson, Odtson, Odesen, Odtesen, Otyson, Otysen, Otteson, and Odson.

Ottesen is a Scandinavian surname from the given name Otto, which is a form of Audhuit meaning "wealth and prosperity." It is thought the first Ottesen likely lived in Norway, as the family line is documented all the way back to the 14th century. The name was borne mainly in Northern Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, with further variants in the Dutch side of the family tree.

Odeson and Odtson were among the most common variants in Germany, as they were used to refer to foreigners and peasants. Conversely, in Denmark, the Otteson and Otysen variants were highly popular, with the latter two even being carried to Iceland from the 15th century. In Sweden, where the oldest versions of the name originated, the variants Oteson and Otethsen were the most common.

It is also worth noting that there are other surnames with similar spellings that share the same root, such as Otjen, Oetjen, and Otting. It can be assumed that variations in spelling are due to regional and dialectical differences from the same root.

Famous people with the name Ottesen

• Emma Ottesen: Musician and Soprano vocalist based in Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Guðrún Ólöf Þrastardóttir Ottesen: Icelandic Actress
• Kristen Ottesen: Television actress
• Dagfinn Otto Ottesen: Norwegian businessman
• Harald A. Ottesen: Norwegian ice hockey coach and goalie
• Torje Ottesen: Norwegian politician and member of the Parliament of Norway
• Brynjar Ottesen: Norwegian footballer
• Unn Oddveig Ottesen: Norwegian politician and former Minister of Finance
• Karl Johan Otterstein: Norwegian painter
• Arne Ottesen: Norwegian footballer and manager

Other surnames

OttesOtteson