Petersen is a common

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, al ...

surname, meaning ''"son of

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

"''. There are other spellings. Petersen may refer to:

People

In arts and entertainment

Adolf Dahm-Petersen Adolf Dahm-Petersen (2 January 1856 – 29 January "California Death Index, 1905-1939," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKSM-WPXW : 5 June 2015), Adolph D Petersen, 1922; citing 1695, Department of He ...

, Norwegian voice specialist *

Anja Petersen Anja Petersen (''née'' Metzger) is a German operatic soprano and university lecturer. She works as a soloist in opera and concert, and as a member of the RIAS Kammerchor. She has appeared in world premieres in both opera and concert, including ...

, German operatic soprano and university lecturer * Anker Eli Petersen, Faroese writer and artist *

Ann Petersen Ann Petersen (22 June 1927 – 11 December 2003) was a Belgian actress. She was especially noted for her roles in '' Home Sweet Home'', ''Pauline & Paulette'', the children's serial '' Samson & Gert'', ''Captain Zeppos'', ''Wij, Heren van Ziche ...

, Belgian actress *

Chris Petersen Christopher Scott Petersen (born October 13, 1964) is a former American football coach who was most recently the head coach at the University of Washington. Previously the head coach for eight seasons at Boise State University, Petersen guided ...

(born 1963), American child actor *

Devon Petersen Devon Petersen (born 4 June 1986) is a South African professional darts player and a pundit for Sky Sports. He has qualified for the PDC World Championship on seven occasions with his best result coming in 2014, 2019 and 2021 when he reached ...

(born 1986), South African darts player *

Elmer Petersen Elmer Paul Petersen (September 4, 1928 – August 5, 2020) was an American sculptor who worked in metal. His most prominent artwork is the World's Largest Buffalo in Jamestown, North Dakota. Petersen lived and worked in Galesville, Wiscons ...

, American artist *

Gustaf Munch-Petersen Gustaf Munch-Petersen (February 18, 1912 – April 2, 1938) was a Danish writer and painter. He wrote surreal prose poems, considered groundbreaking in his time, which have inspired later writers. Biography Gustaf Munch-Petersen grew up in a r ...

, Danish writer and painter * Joel Petersen, bass guitarist *

John Hahn-Petersen John Hahn-Petersen (4 November 1930 in Frederiksberg – 4 January 2006) was a Danish theatre, TV and movie actor. He made his debut in 1955 and starred in a number of productions, including ''Matador'', ''Landsbyen'', and ''Taxa''. In 2006 he ...

, Danish actor *

Josef Petersen Josef Petersen (16 September 1881 – 22 November 1973) was a Danish author, known for many novels with historical motifs, often ancient or medieval, written from 1910 to 1949. Josef Petersen was the son of a vicar and was a maternal grandson of ...

, Danish novelist *

Patrick Petersen Patrick Petersen (born August 9, 1966) is an American actor best known for his role as Michael Fairgate in the television drama ''Knots Landing''. He played the role from episode one on December 27, 1979, to May 16, 1991, reprising the part for ' ...

, American actor *

Paul Petersen William Paul Petersen (born September 23, 1945) is an American actor, singer, novelist, and activist. Petersen first rose to prominence in the 1950s playing Jeff Stone on ''The Donna Reed Show'', and transitioned to a singing career in the 19 ...

, American movie actor, singer, novelist, and activist * Robert E. Petersen, publisher, auto museum founder *

Robert Storm Petersen Robert Storm Petersen (19 September 1882 – 6 March 1949) was a Danish cartoonist, writer, animator, illustrator, painter and humorist. He is known almost exclusively by his pen name Storm P. Biography He was the son of a butcher ...

, Danish cartoonist, writer, animator, illustrator, painter and humorist *

Sandy Petersen Carl Sanford Joslyn "Sandy" Petersen (born September 16, 1955) is an American game designer. He worked at Chaosium, contributing to the development of '' RuneQuest'' and later creating the acclaimed and influential horror role-playing game ''Cal ...

, American game designer *

Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen Jörn-Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen (born 10 March 1960) is a German keyboard player, producer and composer. He was the keyboardist of the band Nena and co-wrote their world famous hit "99 Luftballons" as well as another great hit entitled "Irgendwie ...

, German musician *

William Petersen William Louis Petersen (born February 21, 1953) is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his role as Gil Grissom in the CBS drama series ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' (2000–2015), for which he won a Screen Actors Guild Awa ...

, American actor *

Wolfgang Petersen Wolfgang Petersen (14 March 1941 – 12 August 2022) was a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for the World War II submarine warfare film '' Das Boot'' (1981). His other films include '' The ...

(1941–2022), German film director

In government and politics

Alicia O'Shea Petersen Alicia Teresa Jane O'Shea Petersen ( McShane; 2 July 1862 – 22 January 1923) was a Tasmanian suffragist and social reformer. Biography Alicia Teresa Jane McShane was born in Tasmania to Hugh and Jane ( Wood) McShane. She became interested ...

, Australian activist * Alfonso Petersen, Mayor of Guadalajara, Mexico *

Andrew Petersen Andrew Nicholas Petersen (March 10, 1870 – September 28, 1953) was a patternmaker and foundry company executive who served as a U.S. Representative from New York. Early life Born near Thisted, Denmark, Petersen immigrated to the United S ...

, member of the United States House of Representatives *

Carl Wilhelm Petersen Carl Wilhelm Petersen (born 1 January 1868 in Hamburg; died 6 November 1933 in Hamburg) was a German lawyer, politician for the German Democratic Party (German abbr.: DDP) and First Mayor of Hamburg (1924 – 29 and 1932 – 33). Peters ...

(1868–1933), German politician and first mayor of Hamburg * Chap (John Chapman) Petersen, American, Virginia politician *

Cynthia Petersen Cynthia Petersen is a Canadian lawyer and judge. Petersen has been a judge for the Ontario Superior Court of Justice since June 2017. Before becoming a judge, Petersen was the Discrimination and Harassment Counsel for the Law Society of Upper Can ...

, Canadian judge *

Elsebeth Kock-Petersen Elsebeth Kock-Petersen (born 15 January 1949) is a Danish Venstre politician. She was a member of the Folketing who represented the constituency from 1975 to 1977 and then the between 1984 and 1990. Kock-Petersen was appointed the youngest ever ...

, Danish politician *

Ewa Hedkvist Petersen Ewa Hedkvist Petersen (born 15 January 1952 in Arvidsjaur, Norrbotten) is a Swedish politician representing the Social Democratic Workers' Party of Sweden. She was a Member of the Riksdag between 1985 and 1994, and a Member of the European Parliame ...

, Swedish politician *

Flo Bjelke-Petersen Florence Isabel Bjelke-Petersen (née Gilmour; 11 August 1920 – 20 December 2017) was an Australian politician and writer. She was a member of the Australian Senate from 1981 to 1993, and was the wife of the longest-serving Premier of Queens ...

, Australian politician and writer *

George Petersen Wilfred George Petersen (13 May 1921 – 28 March 2000) was an Australian politician, affiliated with the Labor Party and elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. Early life and background Petersen was born in Childer ...

, Australian politician *

Hans Christian Petersen Hans Christian Petersen (11 August 1793 – 26 September 1862) was a Norwegian politician and served as the ''de facto'' prime minister of Norway during the personal union of Sweden-Norway from 1858 to 1861. Early life Hans Christian Peter ...

, Norwegian politician * Harald Petersen, Danish politician *

Hjalmar Petersen Hjalmar Petersen (January 2, 1890March 29, 1968) was an American politician who served as the 23rd Governor of Minnesota. Background Hjalmar Petersen was born in Eskildstrup, Denmark to Lauritz and Anna Petersen, who moved with Hjalmar to Chic ...

, American politician *

Jan Petersen Jan Petersen (born 11 June 1946, in Oslo) is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party. Petersen was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Akershus in 1981, and was re-elected on six occasions. He had previously served as a deputy r ...

, Norwegian diplomat and politician *

Joh Bjelke-Petersen Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen (13 January 191123 April 2005), known as Joh Bjelke-Petersen, was a conservative Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, during ...

, Australian politician * Marita Petersen, Faroese politician *

Matthew S. Petersen Matthew Spencer Petersen (born 1970) is an American attorney who served as a member of the United States Federal Election Commission. In 2017, he was nominated by President Donald Trump to be a United States district judge of the United States D ...

, U.S. Federal Election Commission member *

Niels Helveg Petersen Niels Lolk Helveg Petersen (; informally Niels Helveg; 17 January 1939 – 3 June 2017) was a Danish politician. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 2000, having previously held the role of Minister for Economic Affairs between 1988 ...

, Danish politician *

P. Walter Petersen P. Walter Petersen (March 31, 1878 – June 15, 1958) was an American businessman, politician and Danish diplomat. Born in Odense, Denmark, Petersen emigrated to the United States in 1898 and settled in Racine, Wisconsin Racine ( ) is a ...

, American politician * Søren Jessen-Petersen, Danish United Nations official

In music

* Petersen Zagaze Zambian singer and song writer.

In military

Danny J. Petersen Danny John Petersen (March 11, 1949 – January 9, 1970) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Biography Petersen joined t ...

, American Medal of Honor recipient * Forrest S. Petersen, United States Navy admiral and aviator * Frank E. Petersen, retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general *

Sigmund R. Petersen Rear Admiral Sigmund R. Petersen (born ? ) is a retired career officer who served in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps, its successor, the Environmental Science Services Administration Corps (ESSA Corps), and the ESSA Corps's succ ...

, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps) rear admiral and fourth Director of the NOAA Corps

In religion

* Mark E. Petersen, member of

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church) In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Council of the Twelve Apostles, or simply the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies in the church h ...

* Ole Peter Petersen, founder of Methodism in Norway

In sport

* Alviro Petersen, South African cricketer * Cal Petersen (born 1994), professional ice hockey goaltender *

(born 1964), American football coach * Ike Petersen, American football player * Johannes Petersen, Danish chess master * Lou Petersen, New Zealand dual-code rugby international *

Matthew Petersen Matthew Andrew Petersen (born 27 March 1980) is a former United States international rugby league footballer who played for the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the Super League. He also played for the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL. His position o ...

, Australian rugby player *

Morten Petersen Morten Roald Petersen (born 27 May 1978) is a Danish retired football central defender who spent most of his career with Lyngby Boldklub. He has played several games for the Danish Under-21 and Under-19 national teams. Petersen began his ...

, Danish football player *

Nils Petersen Nils Petersen (; born 6 December 1988) is a German professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bundesliga club SC Freiburg and the Germany national team. He appeared in the 2016 Summer Olympics and remains the first and only German footba ...

, German football player * Sara Petersen (badminton), New Zealand badminton player *

Sara Petersen (hurdler) Sara Slott Petersen (born 9 April 1987) is a Danish hurdler. At the 2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also know ...

, Danish 400 metres hurdler * Ted Petersen, football player * Thyge Petersen, Danish boxer

In other fields

* Anders Petersen (disambiguation) *

Carl Petersen (disambiguation) Carl Petersen may refer to: * Carl Wilhelm Petersen (1868–1933), German politician and first mayor of Hamburg * Carl Petersen (athlete) (1902–1983), Danish Olympic athlete * Carl Emil Petersen (1875–1971), American Medal of Honor recipient * ...

Grant Petersen Grant Petersen is a bicycle designer, author, and the founder and owner of Rivendell Bicycle Works. He was U.S. marketing director for Bridgestone Cycle (U.S.A.), Inc. during the 1980s and 1990s, where he designed the XO series of bicycles. He ...

, American bicycle company owner *

Jack Petersen (disambiguation) Jack Petersen may refer to: * Jack Petersen (boxer) * Jack Petersen (guitarist) Jack Leroy Petersen (born October 25, 1933) is an American jazz guitarist and educator. He was a pedagogical architect for jazz guitar and jazz improvisation at Ber ...

* Johan Carl Christian Petersen, Danish seaman, interpreter, and Arctic explorer *

Julius Petersen Julius Peter Christian Petersen (16 June 1839, Sorø, West Zealand – 5 August 1910, Copenhagen) was a Danish mathematician. His contributions to the field of mathematics led to the birth of graph theory. Biography Petersen's interes ...

, Danish mathematician *

, Literary scholar and university professor * Rodney L. Petersen, American scholar of history, ethics, and religious conflict *

Ron Petersen Ronald H. Petersen, more commonly known as Ron Petersen, born in 1934, is a mycologist of the University of Tennessee. He was the editor-in-chief of the journal ''Mycologia ''Mycologia'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes pap ...

(born 1934), American mycologist with the standard author abbreviation "R.H.Petersen" * Sophie Petersen (1885–1965), Danish geographer

Other uses

* Petersen (film), a 1974 Australian drama film *

Petersen Automotive Museum The Petersen Automotive Museum is located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles. One of the world's largest automotive museums, the Petersen Automotive Museum is a nonprofit organization specializi ...

Petersen Bay Johan Petersen Fjord, also known as Petersen Bay ( da, Petersen Bugt), is a fjord in King Christian IX Land, Eastern Greenland. The fjord is named after Danish Arctic explorer Johan Petersen (1813–1880). Geography This fjord is located on the we ...

, Greenland *

Petersen Graph In the mathematics, mathematical field of graph theory, the Petersen graph is an undirected graph with 10 vertex (graph theory), vertices and 15 edge (graph theory), edges. It is a small graph that serves as a useful example and counterexample for ...

, famous for its special properties in graph theory