Surname Johansen - Meaning and Origin

An Exploration Beyond Johansen: How DNA Test Shaped My Perception of Identity and Lineage

My personal journey through the discoverable heritage revealed by the iGENEA DNA test has shed new light on my family name, Johansen, and our multi-cultural ancestry, challenging my conventional understanding of identity and familial roots. The test results have given me a broader perspective, linking my family history to diverse regions and cultures, and enriching my sense of self. It's not just a background check; it’s a discovery of the intricate paths our ancestors took, shaping our present identity.

H. Johansen

Johansen: What does the surname Johansen mean?

The last name Johansen is a Scandinavian patronymic surname, meaning “son of Johan”. It is derived from the first name “Johan”, derived from the Latin “Johannes”, meaning “God is gracious”. Johann is a variant of the common middle ages given name “Johann” and was brought to Scandinavia by immigrants from Germany, a movement known as the Greater-Nordic Migration.

In its earliest forms, the surname was recorded as Johanssøn (also seen as Johansdatter) in Norway, and Johansson (or Johansdotter) in Sweden. In the course of time, the suffixes were changed to -sen and -son, as is the custom in Scandinavian surnames.

The surname is most commonly found in Norway and Sweden today, but it is also found in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark and other parts of Europe. It is also popular in countries with large Scandinavian populations such as Australia and New Zealand.

In the US, it is the 27th most common family name with approximately 233,000 bearers. It is most prevalent in the Midwest and West. In Canada, it is the 16th most common family name, with approximately 26,000 bearers.

Despite the surname’s wide dispersal, Scandinavian versions of it feature strongly in all regions in which it is found. It is still possible to find many people bearing the Johansen name and their families in all of these countries where the origin is traceable.

Johansen: Where does the name Johansen come from?

The surname Johansen is a patronymic surname originating from the Scandinavian countries of Norway and Denmark. It is derived from the given name "Johan," meaning "God is gracious."

Today, the Johansen surname is most common in Norway. In Norway, around 20,000 people carry this surname, making it the 6th most common surname in the country. It is also fairly common in neighbouring Denmark with 13,000 bearers living there today.

In the United States, the Johansen surname is also present but much less common. According to the 2018 US census, there are around 14,000 people in the US who identify as having the surname Johansen. This puts it in the 23,772nd spot on the list of most common surnames.

Notably, the Johansen surname is very popular in the entertainment industry. Since the beginning of the last century, a handful of well-known actors, filmmakers and other personalities have helped increase the family’s visibility and spread the name even further. Notable people with the Johansen surname include actor Clancy Brown, producer Erik Alexander Johansen and members of the band A-ha.

Overall, the Johansen surname is most common in Norway and some other northern European countries, like Denmark. It has spread across the world, however, and can be found in places like the United States as well.

Variations of the surname Johansen

The surname Johansen is a patronymic surname derived from the first name Johannes. This latter name is a form of the Greek Ioannes, or John, and is a variant of the surname Johnson. There are many variants, spellings and surnames from the same origin, such as:

1. Jansen – Dutch origin

2. Johanssen – German and Scandinavian origin

3. Johanson – Finnish origin

4. Jonsson – Danish and Swedish variant

5. Johansson – Swedish variant

6. Johannsen – German variant

7. Jahnsson – Swedish variant

8. Janzon – Swedish variant

9. Jensen – Danish and Norwegian variant

10. Jehannsen – Dutch variant

11. Hansen – Danish, Norwegian, and Frisian variant

12. Juhanen – Finnish variant

13. Yoanson – Spanish variant

Other regional variants of Johansen include Johanen, Johaness, Johanes, Johannson, Jonssen, Jonsen, Jonson, Jons, Jonnson, Jonnsen, Janzen, Janse, Janes, Jahne, Jahncke, Jahneke, Jahnke, Jahnsen, Jahn, Jiannis, Ionnis, and Yanis.

Due to its patronymic nature, the spelling of the surname Johansen also often changes when passed down through succeeding generations, sometimes becoming Alhanson, Alhanson, Alannson, Allomeson, Almasen, Alogan, Altman, Dayton, Hanssen, Hansson, Hanman, Hiamson, and Howanson.

Famous people with the name Johansen

• Lily Johansen: Professional Ballet Dancer
• Frank Johansen: Legendary Norwegian explorer
• Charles Johansen: Actor, stand-up comedian
• Torgeir Johansen: Norwegian actress and television presenter
• August Johansen: Norwegian tennis player
• Torvald Johansen: Norwegian actor and writer
• Morten Johansen: Norwegian Paralympic Management Committee Chairman
• Sverre Johansen: Norwegian former footballer
• Morten Johansen: Professional Musician and Composer
• Audun Johansen: Professional Football Player
• Noah Johansen: Olympic Nordic Combined skier
• Anders Johansen: Professional Race Car Driver
• Stian Johansen: Professional Football player
• Reidar Johansen: Norwegian Football Manager
• Torger Johansen: Norwegian professional Ice Hockey Player
• Orjan Johansen: Professional Soccer Player
• Stig Johansen: Author and Translator
• Liv Johansen: Norwegian Discus thrower
• Arild Johansen: Norwegian former football goalkeeper
• Svein Johansen: Norwegian cross-country skier

Other surnames

JohansJohansdotterJohanshonJohansmannJohansmeierJohansohnJohansonJohanssenJohansson