Popular Danish surnames:
- Jensen – “Son of Jens”
- Nielsen – “Son of Niels”
- Hansen – “Son of Hans”
- Pedersen – “Son of Peder”
- Andersen – “Son of Anders”
- Christensen – “Son of Christen”
- Larsen – “Son of Lars”
- Sørensen – “Son of Søren”
- Rasmussen – “Son of Rasmus”
- Jørgensen – “Son of Jørgen”
Many Danish surnames follow the patronymic naming system, where the father’s first name becomes the child’s last name with the addition of “-sen” (son) or “-datter” (daughter). This system was used until the late 19th century when fixed family names became mandatory.
