Christensen

Christensen is a surname of Danish and Norwegian origin. It is a patronymic surname meaning "son of Christen" or "son of Christian," derived from the given name Christen (a form of Christian). The pattern reflects historical naming practices in which a father's given name became the family surname.

Today Christensen ranks among the most common surnames in Denmark and Norway. The shift from a by-name to a fixed hereditary surname occurred during the 19th century in these countries, and the name circulated internationally through migration and diaspora communities.

Variants and related spellings include Christiansen, Kristensen, and other closely related forms; Christensen is the Danish/Norwegian form, while spelling differences reflect regional conventions. In Iceland, patronymic naming predominates, making Christensen less common as a surname there.

Outside Scandinavia, the surname spread through immigration, particularly to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, where it is carried by descendants of Danish and Norwegian emigrants. The name appears across many fields, including politics, science, arts, and sports, reflecting its broad distribution.

Because Christensen is widespread, it is associated with numerous individuals and, in some contexts, with place-names and organizations bearing the family name. For more on the surname and its variants, see related articles on Christiansen, Kristensen, and the Christensen surname.