Aasen

Aasen is a Norwegian surname and toponym derived from the Old Norse element as meaning a hill or ridge. The name most likely originated as a farm name or descriptive designation for someone living near a hill. In modern Norwegian, the related common noun is åsen, referring to a hill or elevated area. The spelling Aasen reflects historical orthography in which the letter å was written as aa, a practice that persisted in some family names and place names.

As a surname, Aasen is most closely associated with Norway and people of Norwegian descent. The form with aa is a remnant of older Danish-Norwegian spelling used in the 19th century and earlier. Over time, some families retained the Aasen spelling in diaspora communities, particularly where diacritic marks are less common.

Notable individuals with the surname include Ivar Aasen (1813–1896), a Norwegian philologist, lexicographer, and poet who is best known for compiling dialect material and developing Nynorsk, one of Norway’s two official written standards. His work aimed to reflect contemporary Norwegian speech and reduce reliance on Danish linguistic forms, contributing significantly to Norwegian national identity and language policy.

See also: Åsen, a common Norwegian toponym and place name related to the same linguistic roots. The surname Aasen can be encountered in various countries, often among people of Norwegian heritage.