The Jessen surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,553 people carried this name — #7,327 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 64,900 people counted. That is up 6% from 4,276 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Jessen surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

Originally a patronymic from Jes + -sen.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Jessen» (Danish), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 46 people named Jessen live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 26
Mendoza 20

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 29 people named Jessen.

Most of them — 16 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 3 départements, most often Paris.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 16
Paris 9
Val-de-Marne 3
Bas-Rhin 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

604 people named Jessen are counted in Norway and Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Norway publishes only surnames with 200 or more bearers.

Counted, by country

Norway (2025) 406
Sweden (2022) 198

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Statistics Norway (SSB, ssb.no), table 12891, 2025 — CC BY 4.0.

In print

Jessen in American newspapers,
1924.

Newspaper page from Washington Journal carrying the name Jessen
Washington Journal 1924-07-25
Newspaper page from Washington Journal carrying the name Jessen
Washington Journal 1924-10-10
Newspaper page from Washington Journal carrying the name Jessen
Washington Journal 1924-08-08

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Jessen in Australian newspapers,
1860s–1980s.

2,858 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Jessen. The most, 786, date from the 1930s. Queensland has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 3.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 1,650
Tasmania 595
New South Wales 365
Victoria 186
South Australia 40
Western Australia 15
ACT (Canberra) 4

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Jessen.

Who carried it

People named Jessen,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Erik Johan Jessen
    Erik Johan Jessen 1705–1783 · writer
  • Nicolai Jacob Jessen
    Nicolai Jacob Jessen 1718–1800 · civil servant
  • Juliane Marie Jessen
    Juliane Marie Jessen 1760–1832 · writer
  • Carl Wilhelm Jessen
    Carl Wilhelm Jessen 1764–1823 · naval officer
  • Friedrich Jessen 1613–1677 · parson
  • Friedrich Jessen 1613–1676 · parson

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Jessen,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States932 records

932 records of the Jessen name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 531
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 115
  • Other U.S. records 286
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Leonard G. Jessen

    Born 1922 in Wisconsin. Enlisted 1942 at Milwaukee; bakery worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1995, buried at Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery, King, Wisconsin.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ernestine Jessen

    Arrived at New York in 1907 aboard the Pretoria from Hamburg, aged 14; servant. From Hamburg, Germany; bound for New York. Born in München, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Robert Duane Jessen

    Born 1947; from Bloomfield, Nebraska. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1967 in Quang Tin, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 932 records for Jessen in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Netherlands1,423 records

1,423 records of the Jessen name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1,247
  • Dutch population registers 142
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 34
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Josephina Hubertina Jessen

    Married in 1896 in Klimmen; maidservant. Died 1940 in Eindhoven.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johann Mathias Jessen

    Married in 1904 in Limbricht; manservant, born 1877 in Millen Dld. Died 1960 in Limbricht, aged 82.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Leonard Jessen

    Married in 1921 in Amsterdam; "oberkelner". Died 1951 in Utrecht, aged 64.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,423 records for Jessen in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Germany624 records

624 records of the Jessen name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Andreas Jessen

    Born 1894; from Flensburg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 30 November 1918 (Foot Guards Regiment No. 2).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Hans Jessen

    Born 1889; from Parchim. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 4 December 1918 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 253).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Mathias Jessen

    From Linnau, Flensburg. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 27 November 1916 (Fusilier Regiment No. 39).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 624 records for Jessen in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Australia149 records

149 records of the Jessen name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 48
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 47
  • Other Australian records 54
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Jes Hansen Jessen

    Died 1929 in Stowell Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1929.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Margaret Victoria Jessen

    Born 1873 in Glamorgan, Tasmania. Married 1895 in Glamorgan, Tasmania, aged 22.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Johann N. Jessen

    Arrived in Queensland in 1873 aboard the Lammershagen, aged 24.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 149 records for Jessen in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada13 records

13 records of the Jessen name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 9
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 2
  • Other Canadian records 2
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Andrew Lewis Jessen

    Buried in 1989 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 73.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Hans Jessen

    Died 1906; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jes Peter Alfred Jessen

    Died 1962 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 13 records for Jessen in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France10 records

10 records of the Jessen name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Christian Frederic Jessen

    Born 1903 in Maisons-Alfort (Paris); died 1989 in Fontenay-sous-Bois (Val-de-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Else Marguerite Jessen

    Born 1895 in Strasbourg; died 1980 in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Thomas Karsten Hans Jessen

    Born 1925 in Germany; died 1997 in Fréjus (Var).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Jessen in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Belgium2 records

2 records of the Jessen name in Belgium
  • Belgian population registers 1
  • Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Maria Jessen

    Born 1909 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Rosalie Cathe Jessen

    In the population register of Aalst; born 1826 in Yper.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Jessen.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Jessen is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Jessen volume
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