Show ContentsTheisen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Theisen

What does the name Theisen mean?

The name Theisen derives from the German personal name Matthias which in turn derives from the apostle Matthaeus (English Matthew). Versions of this name were very popular in the Middle Ages throughout Christian Europe.

Early Origins of the Theisen family

The surname Theisen was first found in Germany, where the name came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society.

Early History of the Theisen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Theisen research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1295, 1596, 1790, 1804 and 1869 are included under the topic Early Theisen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Theisen Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Theis, Theisen, Thein, Theitz, Theisz, Theisman and others.

Early Notables of the Theisen family

More information is included under the topic Early Theisen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Theisen Ranking

In the United States, the name Theisen is the 5,177th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1


Theisen migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Theisen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Theisen, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1758
  • Johannes Theisen, who arrived at Philadelphia in 1764
Theisen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Maria Katharina Theisen, who landed in America in 1852 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Theisen (post 1700) +

  • Leo and Kathryn Theisen, American founders of Theisen's, a regional retail chain of 20 stores in Iowa in 1927
  • David L. Theisen (1941-2014), American-born, NFL and CFL football player
  • William "Willy" Theisen, American restaurant entrepreneur, founder and former owner of Godfathers Pizza
  • Vincent A. Theisen, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Delaware, 1972 3
  • Joseph M. Theisen, American politician, Independent Candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly from Sheboygan County 1st District, 1938 3
  • John H. Theisen, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1940 3
  • Anthony Theisen, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Wisconsin 8th District, 1982 3
  • Oscar Theisen (b. 1897), Luxembourgian wrestler who competed in the Greco-Roman light heavyweight event at the 1920 Summer Olympics
  • Vidar Leif Theisen (1933-2012), Norwegian meteorologist whose nasal speech and lack of tonal variation made him into a cult star in Norway
  • Roger Theisen (b. 1932), Luxembourg Olympic fencer who competed at the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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