Show ContentsPetersen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Petersen family

The surname Petersen was first found in the Palatinate, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Petersen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Petersen research. Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1615, 1624, 1652, 1667, 1676, 1677, 1727, 1747, 1779, 1784, 1790, 1819, 1827, 1856, 1864, 1895 and 1918 are included under the topic Early Petersen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Petersen Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Peter, Petter, Peeter, Peetter, Peater, Peatter, Peters, Petersen, Peer, Peers and many more.

Early Notables of the Petersen family

Notables with the name Petersen during this period were Catharina Peeters (1615-1676), Flemish Baroque painter noted for painting seascapes; Johannes (or Jan) Peeters (1624-1677), a Flemish Baroque painter who specialized in seascapes and shipwrecks; Bonaventura Peeters the Elder (1614-1652), a Flemish painter, draughtsman and etcher; John Peeters or Pieters (1667-1727), born in Antwerp, Belgium, a Belgium painter related to Bonaventura Peeters who emigrated to England, nicknamed "Doctor Peeters" for his restoration of damaged pictures and drawings.Carl Friedrich...
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Petersen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Petersen World Ranking

In the United States, the name Petersen is the 574th most popular surname with an estimated 49,740 people with that name. [1] However, in Australia, the name Petersen is ranked the 606th most popular surname with an estimated 6,486 people with that name. [2] And in New Zealand, the name Petersen is the 486th popular surname with an estimated 1,408 people with that name. [3] Netherlands ranks Petersen as 901st with 2,245 people. [4] South Africa ranks Petersen as 131st with 43,703 people. [5]


United States Petersen migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Petersen Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Henrich Petersen, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1640 [6]
  • Else Petersen, who arrived in New Netherland(s) in 1650 [6]
  • Griet je Jans Petersen, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1652 [6]
  • Christian Petersen, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1657 [6]
  • Paul Petersen, who arrived in New Netherland(s) in 1658 [6]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Petersen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Hans Petersen, aged 28, who arrived in North Carolina in 1754 [6]
  • Paridon Petersen, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1770 [6]
Petersen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Friedrich Petersen, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1806 [6]
  • Alexander Petersen, aged 36, who arrived in Missouri in 1849 [6]
  • Carolina Petersen, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 [6]
  • Dorothea Petersen, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 [6]
  • August Petersen, who arrived in America in 1866 [6]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Petersen Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Karl Lauritz Petersen, who landed in New York, NY in 1901 [6]
  • Charles Petersen, who arrived in New York, NY in 1901 [6]
  • George Petersen, who arrived in Mississippi in 1902 [6]
  • Niels C Petersen, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1904 [6]
  • Oskar Writh Petersen, who landed in Wisconsin in 1920 [6]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Petersen migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Petersen Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • A.G. Petersen, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Malvina Vidal"

New Zealand Petersen 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:

Petersen Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Eskild Petersen, aged 21, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Halcione" in 1870 [7]
  • Mr. Andrea Petersen, (b. 1853), aged 19, Scandinavian Maid Servant travelling from Hamburg aboard the ship "Palmerston" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 12th December 1872 [8]
  • Hans Petersen, aged 43, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Forfarshire" in 1873 [9]
  • Marika Petersen, aged 34, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Forfarshire" in 1873 [9]
  • Anna K. Petersen, aged 8, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Forfarshire" in 1873 [9]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Petersen (post 1700) +

  • Elmer Paul Petersen (1928-2020), American sculptor who worked in metal
  • Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen Jr. (1932-2015), United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General, the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and the first African-American Marine Corps general
  • Otto Petersen (1960-2014), American adult-themed ventriloquist who performed in the act Otto & George
  • Vice Admiral Forrest S. Petersen (1922-1990), American highly decorated aviator
  • Specialist Four Danny John Petersen (1949-1970), United States Army soldier and a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Vietnam War
  • Wolfgang Petersen (1941-2022), German two-time Academy Award nominated film director, producer and screenwriter, known best for Das Boot (1981), The NeverEnding Story (1984), Enemy Mine (1985), In the Line of Fire (1993), Outbreak (1995), Air Force One (1997), The Perfect Storm (2000), Troy (2004), and Poseidon (2006)
  • Niels Lolk Helveg Petersen (1939-2017), Danish politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs (1993-2000)
  • Thyge Alexander Petersen (1902-1964), Danish light heavyweight professional boxer who competed in the 1920s and won a silver medal in boxing at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris
  • Julius Peter Christian Petersen (1839-1910), Danish mathematician

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Marius Petersen (d. 1912), aged 24, English Third Class passenger from London who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking [10]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  3. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
  6. 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)
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 6th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  10. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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