Origine et histoire

Patronymic surname meaning 'son of Knud', the Danish form of the Old Norse Knutr, from a root related to 'knot' or 'knob', suggesting a stocky or strong build. Knud was borne by several Danish kings, most famously Knud the Great (Canute, 995-1035), who ruled Denmark, England, and Norway simultaneously, giving the name immense royal prestige. The patronymic Knudsen is characteristically Danish; the Norwegian equivalent is Knutsen. Approximately 62,000 Danes bear this surname.