Amundsen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Norway

The origin of the distinguished Amundsen family can be traced to the rugged Scandinavian country of Norway. The surname Amundsen is derived from the Scandinavian personal name Aghmund. This comes from the Germanic name Agi-mund, which in turn is derived from the Old Icelandic name Ogmundr, which signifies awe-protection. However, the name is also occasionally derived from the Old Norse names Hamundr, which means high protection, or Amundr, which means ancestor protection or forever guardian.

Amundsen Ranking

In the United States, the name Amundsen is the 13,361^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Amundsen migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Amundsen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

E Amundsen, aged 5, who landed in New York, NY in 1837 2

Amundsen Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Herman Olai Amundsen, who landed in Alabama in 1917 2

Amundsen migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Amundsen Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Ole Amundsen, aged 33, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "England" in 1872 3
Bertha Amundsen, aged 31, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "England" in 1872 3
Marie Josephine Amundsen, aged 7, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "England" in 1872 3
Anna Amundsen, aged 5, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "England" in 1872 3
Ole Amundsen, aged 3, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "England" in 1872 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Amundsen (post 1700) +

Monte Amundsen (b. 1930), American opera and musical singer
Steinar Amundsen, Norwegian sprint canoer who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics
Per-Willy Amundsen, Norwegian politician and MP for the Progress Party
Olaf Amundsen (1876-1939), Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party
Mauritz Amundsen (1904-1982), Norwegian Olympic sport shooter
Jens Amundsen (1820-1886), Norwegian ship-owner
Jan Tore Amundsen (b. 1983), Norwegian football midfielder
Harald Amundsen (b. 1962), Norwegian sprint canoer
Carl Morten Amundsen (b. 1961), Norwegian dramaturg and theatre director
Asle Amundsen (b. 1952), Norwegian politician for the Socialist Left Party
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Amundsen family +

SS Atlantic

Olivia Amundsen, Norwegian traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html