Show ContentsCarstensen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Carstensen is patronymic, meaning "son of Carsten," or "Christian." Christian is one of the more common European personal names, meaning "follower of Christ."

Carstensen Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Carstensen, Carstenssen, Carstennsen, Christiansen and many more.

Carstensen Ranking

In the United States, the name Carstensen is the 17,413rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


Carstensen migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

  • Dora Carstensen, aged 27, German who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Hamburg" 2
  • Bjarne Carstensen, who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Tai Yang" 2
Carstensen Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Carsten Carstensen, who arrived in New York in 1637 3
  • Claes Carstensen, aged 22, who landed in New York in 1642 3
  • Claes Carstensen, aged 50, who arrived in New York in 1657 3
  • Peter Carstensen, who arrived in New York in 1663 3
Carstensen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Peter Carstensen, aged 34, who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Adelheim" in 1851 2
  • O. Carstensen, aged 24, German who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Bark Mantanzas" in 1851 2
  • Claus P. Carstensen, aged 30, German who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Rhein" in 1851 2
  • Hans Carstensen, aged 25, German who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Aurora" in 1851 2
  • Inge Carstensen, aged 17, German who arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard the ship "Deutschland" in 1854 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Carstensen (post 1700) +

  • Marilyn Carstensen, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 1984 4
  • Jack Carstensen, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 1996 4
  • Henry P. Carstensen, American Democratic Party politician, Washington Democratic State Chair, 1955 4
  • Fritze Carstensen (1925-2005), née Nathansen, a Danish silver medalist swimmer at the 1948 Summer Olympics
  • Johan Bernhard Georg Carstensen (1812-1857), Danish developer of the Tivoli Gardens
  • Jacob Carstensen (b. 1978), Danish gold, silver and five-time bronze medalist freestyle swimmer
  • Kira Carstensen, Academy Award nominated documentary film maker
  • Henrik Carstensen (1753-1835), Norwegian merchant, ironworks owner and politician
  • Christian Carstensen (b. 1973), German politician
  • Peter Harry Carstensen (b. 1947), German politician, Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein (2005-2012)
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

USS Indianapolis
  • Richard Carstensen (1926-1945), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 5


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Ellis Island Search retrieved 9th February 2023. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew


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