Kersten
A German and Dutch surname that usually comes from a short form of Christian, meaning “follower of Christ.”
The #8,920 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 84,150 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Kersten is generally understood as a shortened or altered form of Christian, ultimately from Greek Christos, “anointed.” In older Germanic naming, Christian often produced forms such as Kerst-, Karst-, and Carst-, and these could become surnames in their own right. The name may therefore have begun as a patronymic or nickname derived from a given name rather than from a place or occupation.
History
The name appears in German and Dutch name lists and is especially familiar in northern German and Low Countries naming traditions. Historical forms cited by older scholars include Kersten alongside Karsten, Carsten, and related variants, all treated as offshoots of Christian. In modern usage it remains a recognizable surname in Germany, the Netherlands, and countries shaped by German immigration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname writers sometimes grouped Kersten with a whole family of Christian-based forms, showing how one baptismal name could generate many regional spellings.
From the historical record
“Larsten, Kersten, Karsen, Kassen, Kasjen, from Kristjan (Christian) ; fam. n., Karstens, Karsens, Kas- sens, Kasjens lasper, m.”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)