A Scandinavian surname meaning 'son of Peter,' commonly used as a proper name for individuals.
From Scandinavian/Danish origin: 'Peter' (from Greek 'Petros,' meaning stone or rock) combined with the patronymic suffix '-sen' (son of). Common in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Patronymic surnames like Petersen reveal how Scandinavian people traced family trees—instead of having fixed family names, 'Petersen' literally meant 'Peter's son,' so if Peter had a son named Ole, he'd be Ole Petersen, and Ole's son would get a completely new surname, which is why records from that era are genealogically fascinating.
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