// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Petersen a good baker? He kneads the attention.
| Pronunciation | PeH-teHr-seHn |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Nordic |
| Meaning | "son of Peter" |
| Region of origin | Scandinavia: Denmark, Norway, Sweden; Northern Germany: Former old Danish territories. |
| Other names | |
| Related names | |
Look up Petersen in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Petersen is a common Danish patronymic surname, meaning "son of Peter".[1] Petersén is a Swedish orthographic variant.
Notable people with the name include:
A
[edit]- Alex Petersen (1924–2014), American football coach
- Alexandros Petersen (1984–2014), American academic
- Alfonso Petersen (born 1961), Mexican physician and politician
- Alfred C. N. Petersen (1868–1933), American physician and football coach
- Alicia O'Shea Petersen (1862–1923), Tasmanian suffragist and social reformer
- Alviro Petersen (born 1980), South African cricketer
- Anders Petersen (boxer) (1899–1966), Danish boxer
- Anders Petersen (historian) (1827–1914), Danish historian
- Anders Petersen (photographer) (born 1944), Swedish photographer
- Anders Petersen (sport shooter) (1876–1968), Danish sport shooter
- Andrew Petersen (1870–1953), American politician
- Anja Petersen (born 2000), German operatic soprano
- Anker Eli Petersen (born 1959), Faroese writer and artist
- Ann Petersen (1927–2003), Belgian actress
- Anna Petersen (1845–1910), Danish painter
- Annar Petersen (1931–2020), Norwegian ice hockey player
- Anne C. Petersen (born 1944), American psychologist
- Anne Helen Petersen, American writer and journalist
- Annika Fríðheim Petersen (born 1999), Faroese handball player
- Arne Petersen (1913–1990), Danish cyclist
- Arnold Petersen (1885–1976), American socialist
- Arona Petersen, artist, businesswoman and chef
- Austin Petersen (born 1981), American writer, political activist, and producer
- Axel Petersen (athlete) (1880–1962), Danish athlete
- Axel Petersen (footballer) (1887–1968), Danish footballer
B
[edit]- Barbara A. Petersen, American politician
- Barry Petersen (born 1949), American journalist
- Bent Blach Petersen (1924–1984), Danish rower
- Bernt Petersen (1937–2017), Danish furniture designer
- Bjarne Petersen (born 1952), Danish footballer
- Bjarni K. Petersen (born 1994), Faroese politician
- Bo Petersen (born 1958), Danish speedway rider
- Bobbi Petersen, American volleyball coach
- Boyd Petersen (born 1962), American academic
- Branden Petersen (born 1986), American politician
- Brandon Petersen (born 1994), South African soccer player
- Brett Petersen (born 1976), South African swimmer
- Bryan Petersen (born 1986), American baseball player
- Bryan Petersen (basketball) (born 1987), American basketball coach
C
[edit]- C.G. Johannes Petersen (1860–1928), Danish marine biologist
- Cal Petersen (born 1994), American ice hockey player
- Calvin Petersen (born 1961), South African soccer player
- Carl Petersen (Danish politician) (1894–1984), Danish politician
- Carl Petersen (neuroscientist), Denmark-born Swiss neuroscientist
- Carl Petersen (runner) (1902–1983), Danish long-distance runner
- Carl Emil Petersen (1875–1971), US Navy Medal of Honor recipient
- Carl Friedrich Petersen (1809–1892), German lawyer and politician
- Carl Wilhelm Petersen (1868–1933), German lawyer and politician
- Casper Petersen (1826–1906), 19th century American politician
- Chap Petersen (born 1968), American politician from Virginia
- Charles-Henri Petersen (1792–1859), German/Dutch architect
- Chris Petersen (born 1964), American football player and coach
- Chris Petersen (baseball) (born 1970), American baseball player
- Christian Petersen (ice hockey) (1937–2009), Norwegian ice hockey player
- Christian Petersen (politician) (1801–1875), Norwegian politician
- Christian Petersen (sculptor) (1885–1961), American sculptor
- Christian G. Petersen (born 1978), Norwegian footballer
- Christian T. Petersen (born 2000), American game designer
- Christina Petersen (born 1974), Danish footballer
- Clemens Petersen (1834–1918), Danish esthetician and critic
- Clyde Petersen (born 1980), American film director, animator, and musician
- Colin Petersen (1946–2024), Australian musician
- Courtney Petersen (born 1997), American soccer player
- Cynthia Petersen, Canadian lawyer and judge
D
[edit]- Dan Petersen (born 1972), Danish footballer
- Daniel F. Petersen (born 1951), American politician
- Daniel Frederik Petersen (1757–1816), Norwegian general
- Danny J. Petersen (1949–1970), Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient
- Dave Petersen (born 1992), English rugby league footballer
- David Petersen (actor) (1947–2018), Canadian actor
- David Petersen (Arizona politician) (born 1950), American politician
- David Petersen (comics) (born 1977), American comic book creator
- David Petersen (composer) (1651–1737), Dutch composer
- David Petersen (sculptor) (born 1944), Welsh sculptor
- David L. Petersen (born 1943), American theologian
- Desiree Petersen (born 1953), Canadian professional wrestler
- Devon Petersen (born 1986), South African darts player
- Don Petersen (playwright) (1927–1998), American dramatist
- Donald Petersen (1926–2024), American businessman
- Donny Petersen (1947–2021), American outlaw biker
- Doug Petersen (Canadian football) (born 1969), Canadian football player
- Douglas W. Petersen (1948–2014), American politician
E
[edit]- Edgar Petersen (1904-1986), WW2 Luftwaffe officer & pilot
- Edith Brenneche Petersen (1896–1973), Danish Lutheran priest
- Edvard Petersen (1841–1911), Danish painter
- Eileen Ward Petersen (born 1937), Danish swimmer
- Elisa Petersen (1876–1932), Danish politician and women's rights activist
- Ellen Dorrit Petersen (born 1975), Norwegian actress
- Elmer Petersen (1928–2020), American sculptor
- Else Petersen (1910–2002), Danish actress
- Emil Petersen, Danish motorcycle racer
- Emilie Petersen (1782–1859), Swedish philanthropist
- Eric Petersen, American actor
- Erich Petersen (1889–1963), German general (1889–1963)
- Erik Petersen (rower) (1939–2025), Danish rower
- Erling Petersen (1906–1992), Norwegian economist and politician
- Ernst Petersen (1906–1959), German architect and actor
- Ethel Ward Petersen (born 1942), Danish swimmer
- Eugen Petersen (1836–1919), German classical archaeologist and philologist
- Eva Bendix Petersen, Australian academic
- Ewa Hedkvist Petersen (born 1952), Swedish politician
F
[edit]- Forrest S. Petersen (1922–1990), American Naval Rear Admiral
- Frank E. Petersen (1932–2015), United States Marine Corps general
- Frank S. Petersen (1922–2011), American politician
- Fred Petersen (rugby league) (born 1978), Samoa international rugby league footballer
- Fred A. Petersen (1808–1885), American architect
- Fred C. Petersen (born 1908), American politician
- Frederick Petersen (1874–1946), American politician
- Frederik Petersen (1759–1825), Norwegian painter
- Fredrik Petersen (born 1983), Swedish handball player
- Fríðrikur Petersen (1853–1917), Faroese politician and bishop
- Friis Arne Petersen (born 1952), Danish diplomat
G
[edit]- Gavin Petersen, American college basketball coach
- Georg Petersen (1820–1900), Danish businessman
- George Petersen (biochemist) (1933–2021), New Zealand biochemist
- George Petersen (historian) (1900–1978), New Zealand lawyer, politician and historian
- George Petersen (politician) (1921–2000), Australian politician
- Gert Petersen (1927–2009), Danish socialist politician and journalist
- Graeme Petersen (born 1941), New Zealand footballer
- Grant Petersen (born 1954), American businessman
- Greg Petersen, American soccer player and coach
H
[edit]- Hanns Petersen (1927–2006), German teacher, opera and pop singer
- Hans Christian Petersen (1793–1862), Norwegian politician
- Hans von Petersen (1850–1914), German painter
- Hans W. Petersen (1897–1974), Danish actor
- Harald Petersen (1893–1970), Danish politician
- Heidi M. Petersen (born 1958), Norwegian businessperson
- Helgi Petersen (born 1978), Faroese footballer
- Henning Petersen (born 1939), Danish cyclist
- Henning Eiler Petersen (1877–1946), Danish mycologist, botanist and marine biologist
- Henry Petersen (1900–1949), Danish pole vaulter
- Henry E. Petersen (1921–1991), American lawyer
- Herman Petersen (1713–1765), Swedish merchant
- Hjalmar Petersen (1890–1968), American politician
- Holger Petersen (Canadian businessman) (born 1949), Canadian record producer
- Holger Petersen (Danish businessman) (1843-1917), Danish merchant
- Howard C. Petersen (1910–1995), American lawyer
I
[edit]- Ian R. Petersen (born 1956), Australian control theorist
- Ike Petersen (1909–1995), American football player
J
[edit]- Jack Petersen (boxer) (1911–1990), Welsh boxer
- Jack Petersen (guitarist) (born 1933), American jazz guitarist and educator
- Jacob Christian Petersen (1870–1964), Norwegian theologian
- Jacob de Petersen (1622–1704), Danish and Brunswijker courtier
- James Petersen (anthropologist) (1954–2005), American anthropologist and archaeologist
- Jan Petersen (cyclist) (born 1970), Danish cyclist
- Jan Petersen (historian) (1887–1967), Norwegian archaeologist
- Jan Petersen (medallist) (born 1945), Danish medallist, draftsman and graphic artist
- Jan Petersen (politician) (born 1946), Norwegian politician
- Jan Petersen (writer) (1906–1969), German writer
- Janet Petersen (born 1970), American politician
- Janice Petersen (born 1977), Australian television presenter
- Jann Ingi Petersen (born 1984), Faroese footballer
- Jasmine Petersen (born 2002), South African politician
- Javiera Petersen (born 1990), Chilean economist
- Jens Petersen (1941–2012), Danish footballer
- Jesper Petersen (handballer) (born 1953), Danish handball player
- Jesper Petersen (politician) (born 1981), Danish politician
- Jim Petersen (born 1962), American basketball player
- Johan Carl Christian Petersen (1813–1880), Danish seaman and interpreter
- Johann Wilhelm Petersen (1649–1727), German theologian
- Johanna Eleonora Petersen (1644–1724), German author
- Johanne Christine Petersen (1847–1922), Danish school principal
- Johannes Petersen, Danish chess player
- Johannes Boye Petersen (1887–1961), Danish botanist and phycologist
- John Petersen (footballer) (born 1972), Faroese footballer and manager
- John Petersen (musician) (1942–2007), American drummer
- John C. Petersen (1842–1887), American politician
- John D. Petersen (1947–2025), American chemist, educator and academic administrator
- Johnny Petersen (born 1947), Danish football manager and former player
- Johnny Algreen Petersen (born 1948), Danish rower
- Jonathan Petersen (1881–1961), Greenlandic songwriter, composer of the national anthem
- Jørgen Bo Petersen (born 1970), Danish cyclist
- Jørgen Fryd Petersen (1925–1988), Danish weightlifter
- Josef Petersen (1881–1973), Danish writer
- Joy Selig Petersen (fl. 1988–1991), American gymnast
- Julius Petersen (1839–1910), Danish mathematician
- Julius Petersen (literary scholar) (1878–1941), German philologist, Germanist and literary historian
- Justin Tanner Petersen (1960–2010), American hacker and informant
K
[edit]- Katelin Petersen (born 1989), American actress, writer, and producer
- Käthe Petersen (1903–1981), German jurist and lawyer
- Katia Forbert Petersen (born 1949), Polish-Danish filmmaker
- Keegan Petersen (born 1993), South African cricketer
- Ken Petersen (born 1939), American football player
- Kenneth Emil Petersen (born 1985), Danish footballer
- Kenneth Fredslund Petersen (born 1965), Danish politician
- Kevin David Petersen (born 1964), American politician
- Kevin L. Petersen (born 1951), American aerospace engineer
- Kim E. Petersen (born 1956), American security expert
- Kjeld Petersen (1920–1962), Danish actor
- Klaus Petersen (born 1951), Danish modern pentathlete
- Klaus-Dieter Petersen (born 1968), German handball player
- Knud Petersen (born 1934), Danish footballer
- Knud Arne Petersen (1862–1943), Danish architect
- Kristian Friis Petersen (1867–1932), Norwegian politician
- Kurt Petersen (American football) (born 1957), American football player
- Kurt Petersen (inventor) (born 1948), American businessman
- Kurt W. Petersen (born 1934), Danish speedway rider
- Kye Petersen (born 1990), Canadian skier
L
[edit]- Lars Petersen (born 1965), Danish dressage rider
- Leif Sylvester Petersen (born 1940), Danish artist, musician and actor
- Leiva Petersen (1912–1992), German classical philologist and publisher
- Lene Adler Petersen (born 1944), Danish artist
- Linda Petersen (born 2011), Brazilian rhythmic gymnast
- Lionel Petersen (1947–2022), South African singer
- Lisbeth L. Petersen (1939–2024), Faroese politician
- Lise Petersen (born 2005), German Paralympic athlete
- Lone Kroman Petersen (born 1950), Danish equestrian
- Lou Petersen (1897–1961), New Zealand international rugby footballer
- Louise Petersen (1894–1983), Danish diver
- Loy Petersen (born 1945), American basketball player
- Ludvig Petersen (1848–1935), Danish architect
- Luvia Petersen, Canadian actress
- Lyndell Petersen (1931–2025), American politician
M
[edit]- Malia Ann Kawailanamalie Petersen, Hula dancer
- Malin Petersen (born 1981), Swedish equestrian
- Marga Petersen (1919–2002), German athlete
- Mariane Petersen (1937–2025), Greenlandic poet, translator, museum curator, and politician
- Marie Petersen (1816–1859), German author
- Marie Bjelke Petersen (1874–1969), Danish-Australian novelist
- Marita Petersen (1940–2001), Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands 1993–1994
- Mark E. Petersen (1900–1984), American religious leader
- Marlis Petersen (born 1968), German operatic coloratura soprano
- Martin Petersen (born 1985), German football referee
- Matilda Petersen (born 1991), Swedish badminton player
- Matthew Petersen (born 1980), US international rugby league footballer
- Matthew S. Petersen (born 1970), American attorney
- Matthias Petersen (1632–1706), German Ostfrysk whaler
- Michael Petersen (baseball) (born 1994), American baseball player
- Michael Bang Petersen (born 1980), Danish political scientist
- Mike Petersen (basketball) (born 1958), American basketball coach
- Mike Petersen (Kansas politician) (born 1960), American politician
- Mike Petersen (soccer) (born 1965), Australian soccer player
- Mike Petersen (Utah politician) (born 1963), American politician
- Mons Andreas Petersen (1829–1886), Norwegian farmer
- Morten Petersen (born 1978), Danish footballer
- Morten Helveg Petersen (born 1966), Danish politician
N
[edit]- Naalli Petersen (1919–1997), Danish sailor
- Naimángitsoᴋ' Petersen (1957–2013), Greenlandic politician
- Neal Petersen (born 1967), South African yacht racer
- Nick Petersen (born 1989), Canadian ice hockey player
- Niels Petersen (gymnast) (1885–1961), Danish gymnast
- Niels Petersen (sport shooter) (born 1932), Danish former sport shooter
- Niels Petersen (weightlifter) (1918–1966), Danish weightlifter
- Niels Helveg Petersen (1939–2017), Danish politician
- Nielsine Petersen (1851–1916), Danish sculptor
- Nils Petersen (born 1988), German footballer
O
[edit]- Olaf Petersen (photographer) (1915–1994), New Zealand photographer
- Olaf Wilhelm Petersen (1841–1909), Norwegian military officer and sports official
- Ole Gunnar Petersen (born 1934), Danish sailor
- Ole Holger Petersen (born 1943), Danish-born professor
- Ole Peter Petersen (1822–1901), Norwegian-American clergyman
- Olga Petersen (born 1982), German politician
- Oliver Petersen (born 2001), Norwegian footballer
- Oluf Petersen (1888–1964), Danish athletics competitor
- Otto Petersen (1960–2014), American ventriloquist and comedian
- Owen Petersen (born 1942), American politician
P
[edit]- P. Walter Petersen (1878–1958), American politician
- Paige Petersen (born 1972), American judge
- Palle Petersen (born 1959), Danish footballer
- Pat Petersen (1959–2015), American long-distance runner
- Patricia Petersen (born 1964), Australian academic
- Patrick Petersen (born 1966), American actor
- Patty Petersen (born 1954), American actress
- Paul Petersen (born 1945), American actor, singer and writer
- Paul Petersen (criminal), American human smuggler
- Paulann Petersen (born 1942), American poet
- Peet Petersen (1941–1980), Dutch footballer
- Pete Petersen (politician) (born 1950), American politician
- Peter Petersen (actor) (1876–1956), Austrian actor
- Peter Petersen (musicologist) (born 1940), German musicologist
- Peter Petersen (soccer) (born 1981), South African soccer player
- Peter Petersen (sport shooter) (1892–1964), Danish sports shooter
- Peter Arnoldus Petersen (1851–1916), Norwegian businessman
- Peter Christian Petersen (1791–1853), Norwegian naval officer
- Peter J. K. Petersen (1821–1896), Norwegian businessman
- Petra Petersen (1901–1989), Danish resistance fighter and communist politician
- Poul Petersen (badminton) (born 1950), Danish badminton player
- Poul Petersen (footballer) (1921–1997), Danish footballer and manager
- Poul Petersen (swimmer) (1912–1959), Danish swimmer
- Poul Erik Petersen (1927–1992), Danish footballer
R
[edit]- Rasmus Petersen (1877–1957), Norwegian gymnast
- Rasmus Helveg Petersen (born 1968), Danish politician
- Rasmus Minor Petersen (born 1988), Danish footballer
- René Petersen, Danish footballer
- Rene Eriksen Petersen (born 2001), Greenlandic footballer
- Robert Petersen (speed skater) (1914–2000), American speed skater
- Robert E. Petersen (1926–2007), American publisher
- Robert Storm Petersen (1882–1949), Danish cartoonist, writer and illustrator
- Rodney L. Petersen (born 1949), American scholar
- Roland Petersen (born 1926), Danish-born American painter, printmaker, and professor
- Ron Petersen (born 1934), American mycologist
- Rudolf Petersen (1878–1962), German businessman and politician
- Rudolf Petersen (Kapitän zur See) (1905–1983), German naval officer
- Ryan Petersen, American musician
- Ryan Petersen (businessman) (born 1980/1981), American businessman
- Ryan D. Petersen, American poet and writer
S
[edit]- Sandy Petersen (born 1955), American game designer
- Sara Petersen (badminton) (born 1975), Danish-New Zealand badminton player
- Sara Petersen (hurdler) (born 1987), Danish hurdler
- Scott Petersen (born 1970), American professional golfer
- Sergeal Petersen (born 1994), South African rugby union footballer
- Sherwin Petersen (born 1953), Canadian politician
- Sigmund R. Petersen (1936–2024), Former NOAA Corps Director
- Silje Brøns Petersen (born 1994), German handball player
- Simone Petersen (born 1997), Danish handball player
- Sofie Petersen (born 1955), Greenlandic bishop
- Sophie Petersen (1885–1965), Danish geographer
- Søren Petersen (1894–1945), Danish boxer
- Søren Petersen (weightlifter) (1890–1971), Danish weightlifter
- Søren Henrik Petersen (1788–1860), Danish printmaker
- Søren Juul Petersen (born 1963), Danish film producer
- Søren Ryge Petersen (born 1945), Danish television host
- Stephan Petersen (born 1985), Danish footballer
- Sue Petersen (born 1944), American marathoner
- Sunniva Austigard Petersen (born 2003), Norwegian footballer
- Susanne Sangaard Petersen (born 1959), Danish canoeist
- Suzana Petersen (born 1947), Brazilian tennis player
- Sven Petersen (born 1954), United States Virgin Islands bobsledder
- Svend Petersen (1911–1992), American political scientist
- Sydney Vernon Petersen (1914–1987), South African poet
T
[edit]- Taliep Petersen (1950–2006), South African actor, singer and theatre director
- Ted Petersen (born 1955), American football player
- Teddy Petersen (1892–1991), Danish bandleader
- Thania Petersen (born 1980), South African visual artist
- Theodore W. Petersen (1837–1902), Danish-American brickmaker
- Thomas E. Petersen (born 1966), American politician, lobbyist and farmer
- Thorleif Petersen (1884–1958), Norwegian artistic gymnast
- Thyge Petersen (1902–1964), Danish boxer
- Tim Petersen (born 1986), German footballer
- Toby Petersen (born 1978), American ice hockey player and coach
- Todd Robert Petersen (born 1969), American novelist
- Tony Petersen (born 1966), American football player and coach
U
[edit]- Ulla Petersen (1933–2005), Danish equestrian
- Ulrich Petersen (1927–2017), Peruvian-born American geologist
V
[edit]- Vilhelm Petersen (1830–1913), Danish architect
- Vilhelm Petersen (painter) (1812–1880), Danish landscape painter
- Vinca Petersen, British photographer
- Vita Petersen (1915–2011), German American artist
W
[edit]- Warren Petersen (born 1976), American politician
- Wilhelm Petersen (composer) (1890–1957), German composer and conductor
- Wilhelm Petersen (entomologist) (1854–1933), Estonian entomologist
- William Petersen (born 1953), American actor
- William Petersen (demographer) (1912–2004), American sociologist and demographer
- Wolfgang Petersen (1941–2022), German filmmaker
Petersén
[edit]- Carl Petersén (army officer) (1883–1963), Swedish Army officer
- Carl Wilhelm Petersén (1884–1973), Swedish curler and Olympic medalist
- Eva Petersén (1923–2012), Swedish diver
- Marie Antoinette Petersén (1771–1855), Swedish musician
- Wilhelm Petersén (ice hockey) (1906–1988), Swedish ice hockey and bandy player
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ↑ Sørensen, John Kousgård (1984). Patronymer i Danmark: Runetid og middelalder (in Danish). Akademisk forlag. p. 12. ISBN 978-87-500-2510-8. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
This page lists people with the surname Petersen or Petersén.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.
Surnames associated with the given name Peter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Baltic |  | |
| Celtic | ||
| Germanic |
| |
| Hellenic | ||
| Romance | ||
| Slavic |
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| Other | ||