Find out how popular the last name Jenssen is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Jenssen.

Jenssen, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Jenssen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jenssen in America

Jenssen is the 71886th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jenssen surname appeared 271 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Jenssen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jenssen to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Jenssen

The surname JENSSEN is believed to have originated from the Scandinavian countries, particularly Denmark and Norway, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old Norse personal name Jensi, which itself is a shortened form of the more common name Johannes, the Scandinavian equivalent of the English name John.

The earliest recorded instances of the name JENSSEN can be traced back to the 13th century, appearing in various Norwegian and Danish records and manuscripts. One notable example is the Icelandic Sagas, where the name Jensson is mentioned in reference to several prominent figures from that era.

In the 14th century, the name JENSSEN began to spread beyond Scandinavia, as Norse traders and settlers carried the name to other parts of Europe. Records from this period show variations of the spelling, such as Jensenn, Jenssøn, and Jenszoon, reflecting regional linguistic influences.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname JENSSEN was Jens Jenssen, a Norwegian seafarer and explorer who is believed to have been born around 1350. Jenssen is credited with being one of the first Europeans to set foot on the island of Greenland, providing valuable accounts of the region's geography and native inhabitants.

In the 15th century, the name JENSSEN gained prominence in the Netherlands, where it was often associated with the city of Amsterdam. One notable bearer of the name was Pieter Jenssen, a wealthy Dutch merchant and banker who lived from 1435 to 1503. Jenssen played a significant role in the economic development of Amsterdam during the Renaissance period.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the JENSSEN surname continued to spread across Europe, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, artisans, and religious figures. One such individual was Hans Jenssen, a Danish theologian and philosopher who lived from 1567 to 1632. Jenssen was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and authored several influential works on theology and ethics.

Another notable bearer of the JENSSEN surname was Ingrid Jenssen, a Norwegian painter and artist who lived from 1623 to 1705. Jenssen is renowned for her exquisite portraits and landscapes, which captured the essence of Norwegian culture and scenery during the Baroque period.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, the JENSSEN surname had become well-established in various parts of Europe and beyond, as individuals bearing the name continued to make significant contributions in various fields. One such individual was Carl Jenssen, a German-born explorer and naturalist who lived from 1785 to 1856. Jenssen is renowned for his extensive travels throughout South America, where he documented numerous plant and animal species, contributing greatly to the field of natural history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jenssen

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Jenssen.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Jenssen was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Jenssen has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Jenssen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jenssen, please contact us.

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