Petersen

Son of Peter — the formal twin of Pedersen.

Origin: Danish
Register: Danish family

The seat of Petersen

Seat vacant

Chief

No one leads the Petersen community yet. When the movement opens, you can stand for its leadership, or help elect whoever does.

Current mission

No shared goal set yet. Once Petersen has leadership, it sets the public focus: a restoration, a gathering, a real-world project that helps its own.

The Petersen clan is being rebuilt. Join the waiting list for the movement today, and you help decide who leads it and what it does.

Help rebuild the Petersen clan →

What does the Petersen name mean?

'Son of Peter' — the formal Peter, against the homely Peder of Pedersen. Both are the apostle's rock; the spelling marks the bookish form.

The history of Petersen

Petersen keeps the churchly Peter where Pedersen wears the everyday Peder, and the two spellings divide the apostle's name into two common Danish surnames. Petersen leans a little to the towns and the south; both are thick on the ground across Denmark.

Explore With Your Ancestors · Beta

Chat with your Petersen ancestorsWalk in →

Pick any year from 500 to 1945 and any place on earth — the Petersen country, or a shore no Petersen ever reached. The chronicler sets the scene; the deeds are yours.

Frequently asked

What does the surname Petersen mean?

'Son of Peter' — the formal Peter, against the homely Peder of Pedersen. Both are the apostle's rock; the spelling marks the bookish form. Petersen keeps the churchly Peter where Pedersen wears the everyday Peder, and the two spellings divide the apostle's name into two common Danish surnames.

Is Petersen a Danish surname?

Yes, Petersen is a Danish surname. Its editorial home in this atlas is Danish, where the historical territory and family record of the name are concentrated.

How old is the Petersen surname?

Petersen keeps the churchly Peter where Pedersen wears the everyday Peder, and the two spellings divide the apostle's name into two common Danish surnames. European hereditary surnames crystallised broadly between the 12th and 14th centuries, and the Petersen name took its modern form within that long settlement.

What is the Petersen family known for?

Son of Peter — the formal twin of Pedersen. Petersen keeps the churchly Peter where Pedersen wears the everyday Peder, and the two spellings divide the apostle's name into two common Danish surnames.

Where is the Petersen surname found today?

Danish is the primary historical home of the Petersen surname. In the modern era, the name is also borne across the wider diaspora, particularly in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, where families carry the line of descent from the same Danish origin recorded on this page.

What does the Clan Rising page for the Petersen family cover?

The Clan Rising page for the Petersen family covers the meaning of the surname, the historical geography of the name and the seat of the head of the family. Each section is linked to the underlying atlas of Danish so the name can be read in the geography that shaped it.

Who is the head of the Petersen family today?

The seat for the head of the Petersen family is currently vacant on this register. Clan Rising is rebuilding the chief and family structure for the modern era, and the family page allows readers to claim the seat or pledge to the name.