Romijnsen is a Dutch surname of patronymic origin, meaning “son of Romein,” which in turn is the Dutch form of the given name Roman. The suffix -sen (or -s) is the Dutch patronymic equivalent of “son of.” Etymology and History The root name Roman derives from the Late Latin Romanus, meaning “Roman” or “citizen of Rome.” It was borne by several early Christian saints, including a 7th-century bishop of Rouen, as well as medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv, and Moldavia. The name Romein entered Dutch through this tradition, and the patronymic Romijnsen arose meaning “descendant of Romein.” The variant Romeijn and Romeijnsen represent spelling variations using ij for the long vowel sound. Similarly, Romijn shortens the ending, maintaining the same root. Patronymic surnames like Romijnsen were common in the Netherlands until the 19th century, when Napoleon introduced mandatory family names. Before this, people would often use the father’s name plus a suffix for the son, but these became fixed surnames afterward. Distribution According to Forebears, the surname Romijnsen is uncommon and primarily concentrated in the Netherlands. Like many Dutch surnames, especially those ending in -sen, it shows ties to historical naming practices of the Low Countries, which rarely extend far beyond Dutch-speaking regions. The modern spelling often employs ij (Romeijnsen) but Romijnsen remains a recognized form. Related Names Other languages offer cognate surnames derived from Romanus: Italian Romano, Portuguese Romão, Ukrainian Roman, and Russian Romanov, the last famously used by the imperial dynasty. Meaning: “son of Romein” (ultimately “Roman”) Origin: Dutch patrorymic surname Type: Patronymic Usage: Dutch