Berendsen (surname)

Berendsen is a Dutch and North German patronymic surname. It signifies "son of Berend". Berend is a Low German short form of the Germanic given name Bernhard, meaning "brave bear" or "strong bear".

The surname is found in variations such as Berends, Berenson, Berntsen, and Berndsen, reflecting different regional pronunciations and spellings.

Notable people with the surname Berendsen include:

• Herman Berendsen (1934-2019): A Dutch biophysicist known for his work in molecular dynamics simulations. He is particularly recognized for developing the Berendsen thermostat and barostat, widely used algorithms in computational chemistry and biophysics to control temperature and pressure in simulations.

The distribution of the surname is primarily concentrated in the Netherlands and Germany, reflecting the linguistic origin and historical migration patterns of families bearing the name. Genealogical research may reveal more specific family histories and connections across these regions.