The Johnsen surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,831 people carried this name — #4,528 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 37,700 people counted. That is up 6% from 7,381 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Johnsen surname

Borrowed from Danish Johnsen, patronymic from John + -sen.

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

In Switzerland’s population statistics

22 people named Johnsen live in Switzerland.

They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Bern.

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

Where they live today

Bern 7
Vaud 5
Fribourg 4
Geneva 3
Zurich 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

20,021 people named Johnsen are counted in Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Norway publishes only surnames with 200 or more bearers. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Norway (2025) 19,219
Sweden (2022) 775
Finland (2026) 27

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 · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In print

Johnsen in American newspapers,
1876–1918.

Newspaper page from Wheeling Register carrying the name Johnsen
Wheeling Register 1902-10-28
Newspaper page from Decorah-posten Og Ved Arnen carrying the name Johnsen
Decorah-posten Og Ved Arnen 1918-09-03
Newspaper page from The Stark County Democrat carrying the name Johnsen
The Stark County Democrat 1876-09-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 26,720 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Johnsen in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1980s.

2,351 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Johnsen. The most, 502, date from the 1940s. New South Wales 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 South Australia, at 1.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 1,113
South Australia 463
Queensland 326
Western Australia 247
Victoria 128
Tasmania 54
ACT (Canberra) 9
Northern Territory 5

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

Who carried it

People named Johnsen,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Johan Johnsen
    Johan Johnsen 1653–1708 · painter
  • Jón Jónsson
    Jón Jónsson 1806–1881 · judge
  • William Olaus Charles Johnsen d. 1960
  • Hinrich Philip Johnsen 1717–1779 · composer
  • Peder Johnsen 1783–1836 · politician
  • Johan Christoffer Johnsen 1788–1825

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 Johnsen,
in the records of 8 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 States2,763 records

2,763 records of the Johnsen name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,059
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 740
  • Other U.S. records 964
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Johnnie Wayne Johnsen

    Born 1947; from Hayward, California. U.S. Marine Corps, electrician; died in an accident 1969 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Howard A. Johnsen

    Born 1917 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Newark, New Jersey; clerk. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at BG William C Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Wrightstown, New Jersey.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1866 aboard the America from Bremen, aged 27; farmer. From Alfeld, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,763 records for Johnsen in the United States.

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

Australia183 records

183 records of the Johnsen name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 90
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 63
  • Other Australian records 30
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Hans Peter Johnsen

    Arrived in Victoria in 1885 aboard the Procida, aged 22; Prussian.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Peter S. F. Johnsen

    Engineer of West Brunswick, Victoria; died 1935.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Henrik A. Johnsen

    Of Boggabri, New South Wales; died 1926.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 183 records for Johnsen in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Germany94 records

94 records of the Johnsen 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 Wilhelm Johnsen

    From Flensburg. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 31 October 1918; then reported taken prisoner in the list of 4 April 1919 (Guard Grenadier 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 Dietrich Johnsen

    From Öse, Bremervörde. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 19 May 1915.

    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 Karl Johnsen

    From Hansühn. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 11 October 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 94 records for Johnsen 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).

Norway44 records

44 records of the Johnsen name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Ole Kristian Johnsen

    Census of 1910: Malmøgate, Kristiania; casual labourer, born 1862 in Drammen.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Mikal Johnsen

    Census of 1910: Stokmo (plads), Selbu; miner, born 1888 in Selbu.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Olga Johnsen

    Census of 1910: Mastebraaten, Modum; "tømmerhuggerhustru", born 1879 in Modum.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 3 of 44 records for Johnsen in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Netherlands38 records

38 records of the Johnsen name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 17
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 17
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 4
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mandios Johnsen

    Died 1877 in Hellevoetsluis, aged 28; ship's mate.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Voorne-Putten (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Herman Johnsen

    Married in 1844 in Amsterdam; seaman.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Gislaug Marie Johnsen

    Married in 1916 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 38 records for Johnsen in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada22 records

22 records of the Johnsen name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 9
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 6
  • Other Canadian records 7
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Olaf Christian Johnsen

    Died 1983, aged 68; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Agnes Margrethe Johnsen

    Buried in 1989 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 82.

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

    Died 1955; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.

Showing 3 of 22 records for Johnsen in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · 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. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand9 records

9 records of the Johnsen name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 8
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edith Esther Johnsen

    Died 1936, aged 32; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Knox Johnsen

    Died 1977, aged 52; buried at Ward Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Johnsen

    Buried in 1947 at Lyttelton Catholic Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury, aged 68.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Johnsen in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Johnsen 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 Rene Johnsen

    Born 1892 in Paris; died 1980 in Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis).

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

    Born 1928 in Denmark; died 2000 in Six-Fours-les-Plages (Var).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Johnsen.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Johnsen 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 Johnsen volume
Scroll to Top