Surname Thoenissen - Meaning and Origin

Thoenissen: What does the surname Thoenissen mean?

The last name Thoenissen is of Dutch origin and is a variant of the name Thoenes or Thonissen. The Thoenissen surname first emerged in the Netherlands during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old Dutch given name Theod- and means “son of Theod.” This is an old Germanic personal name composed of the element theud meaning “people” and the suffix -wolf meaning “wolf.” Thus, a literal translation of the name Thoenissen would be “Son of the people’s wolf.”

In addition to the Netherlands, the Thoenissen name is also found in Germany, in the former Duchy of Cleves and the Rhineland. Over time, the spelling of the Thoenissen name has changed in response to dialect, influence, and migration. To this day, numerous variant spellings exist, including Thonissen, Thar, Toennes, Thaenen, Thaene, and Thoen.

Thoenissen is a fairly uncommon name, although it has experienced some level of growth in the Netherlands in recent decades. Today, people with the Thoenissen surname can be found throughout the world. Variants are particularly common in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and the United States.

Thoenissen: Where does the name Thoenissen come from?

Thoenissen is a surname most commonly found primarily in Germany and the Netherlands, with a small concentration in the United States. In Germany, Thoenissen is mainly found in the historic state of Westphalia. In addition, it is fairly common in the surrounding provinces such as Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. In the Netherlands, it is most prevalent in the province of Gelderland. In the United States, it is primarily found in Michigan, Nebraska, and North Carolina.

The Thoenissen name has been around for hundreds of years, likely originating in the Middle Ages. Today, it is most commonly a toponymic (or location-based) surname, derived from various places across Europe with the same name. Its meaning is uncertain, but it likely means one of two things: either "commoner's estate" or "estate west of the Thoen”, both of which make sense as place names.

Today, the Thoenissen surname is still carried by many people across Germany and the Netherlands, as well as the United States. It is often written differently, with variants including Thöneisen, Thoeneisen, Thoeniesen, Thoniesen, Thonniesen and Thunniesen. All of these have the same meaning and root.

The Thoenissen name is still seen today as a testament to its centuries-long European heritage. It will continue to be passed down for generations to come, connecting people from different countries and cultures via a shared family name.

Variations of the surname Thoenissen

The surname Thoenissen is of German origin and is believed to be derived from the personal name Theon, ThMW S. 903–904. It is also related to the old high German word theudisk meaning people or nation.

There are several variants of this surname including Thunissen, Thoenesen, Thoenessen, Theunissen, Toonissen, Toeneissen, Thunessen, Teuneissen, and Teunissen. There are also other forms of this surname such as Thownisen, Thoenicke, Thoehnen, Thoehren, Thoenessen, Thoenken, Thone 03, Thonissen, Thones, Thonas, and Thonnissen.

In addition, some other spellings for this surname are Thoeniesen, Thonneisen, Thoenessen, Thoennesen, Tonesen, Thoenes, Thoensen, Thoennissen, Thunnissen, Thoniseen, Thongesen, Thontingen, Thunningen, Toeniseen, and Telephone.

The surnames of the same origin as Thoenissen include Thoonen, Teonomie, Thoonsen, Theenen, Teenglish, Thonnemann, Tonneis, Tonomi, Tehan, Tehenen, Tehmet, Thonis, Thonee, Theonius, Toonnesen, Thoonsma, Theunen, Theune, and Thunemann.

Famous people with the name Thoenissen

• Mark Thoenissen: American professional motorcyclist
• Rudolf Thoenissen: German astronomer
• Archibald Thoenissen: American motion picture actor and World War I veteran
• Edward Thoenissen: former Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio
• Phil Thoenissen: Australian powerboat racer
• Alexander Thoenissen: Dutch painter
• Johann Wilke Thoenissen: Swiss sculptor
• Anna Thönissen: German soprano
• Philine Thoenissen: Dutch model and actress
• Haakon Johan Thoenissen: Norwegian politician

Other surnames

Thoenis