Where the Hansen name comes from

Hansen is a Scandinavian patronymic surname meaning "son of Hans". In Danish it was formed from the given name Hans and søn, the word for son. It began as a patronymic and later became established as a hereditary surname, and Norway had a matching feminine form, Hansdatter, meaning "daughter of Hans". Sweden built the same name as Hansson, and many Nordic immigrants to English-speaking countries anglicised it to Hanson.

In 2016 Hansen was the single most common surname in Norway. Denmark ranked it third in 2008, carried by 4.3% of the population, and it stands second in the Faroe Islands. The 2010 United States Census counted 137,977 people named Hansen, placing it 204th in the country.