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

Johannesen, 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 Johannesen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Johannesen in America

Johannesen is the 28498th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Johannesen surname appeared 837 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 Johannesen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Johannesen 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 Johannesen

The surname Johannesen originated in Norway during the early medieval period. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the personal name Johan or Johannes, which was a Scandinavian form of the Biblical name John. The name Johannesen essentially means "son of Johan" or "son of Johannes."

In Norway, patronymic surnames were commonly used until the 19th century, when fixed hereditary surnames became more prevalent. The name Johannesen would have initially been used to identify a person as the son of someone named Johan or Johannes, but over time, it became a hereditary surname passed down through generations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Johannesen can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents dating back to the 13th century. In this collection, there are references to individuals with the name Johannesen, indicating that the surname was already in use during that time.

In the 14th century, a Norwegian landowner and nobleman named Svein Johannesen is mentioned in historical records. He was a prominent figure in the region of Trøndelag and is believed to have played a role in the political affairs of the time.

During the 16th century, a Lutheran minister named Hans Johannesen served as a parish priest in the town of Skien, in the county of Telemark. He is known for his contributions to the religious life of the community and his efforts in promoting education.

In the 17th century, a Norwegian explorer and whaler named Jens Johannesen led several expeditions to the Arctic regions. He is credited with discovering and mapping several islands in the Svalbard archipelago, which were later named after him.

Another notable figure with the surname Johannesen was Johan Johannesen, a Norwegian poet and playwright who lived in the 19th century. He was born in 1837 and is remembered for his works that explored themes of love, nature, and the human experience.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Johannesen who have left their mark on Norwegian history and culture over the centuries. The name's origins can be traced back to the early medieval period, and it has been carried on through generations, reflecting the rich heritage and traditions of Norway.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Johannesen

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

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 Johannesen 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 Johannesen 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 Johannesen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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