Meaning & History
Theunis is a Dutch masculine given name, derived as a short form of Antonius. It is considered a diminutive of Antonius, itself the Latin form of Anthony. The name is predominantly found in the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, South Africa, Namibia, and Indonesia. A further shortened variant, Theuns, is common in South Africa.
Etymology
The root name Anthony traces back to the Roman family name Antonius, of unknown Etruscan origin. The most famous bearer of this family name was Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony), the 1st-century BC Roman general who ruled jointly with Augustus. The name gained Christian popularity through Saint Anthony the Great (4th-century Egyptian hermit) and Saint Anthony of Padua (13th-century patron saint of Portugal). The spelling with h was erroneously influenced by the Greek word anthos meaning "flower."
Notable Bearers
- Theunis de Bruyn (born 1992), South African cricketer
- Theunis Willem de Jongh, South African banker
- Theunis van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723), Dutch microscopist and microbiologist
- Theunis Piersma (born 1958), Dutch biologist
- Theunis van Schalkwyk (1929–2005), South African boxer
- Theunis Spangenberg (born 1983), South African golfer
Variants
Related Dutch diminutives include Teun, Teunis, and Theun. The name Theunissen is a Dutch patronymic surname derived from Theunis.
- Meaning: short form of Antonius
- Origin: Dutch
- Type: Given name (masculine)
- Usage Regions: Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, South Africa, Namibia, Indonesia
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Theunis