# Petersen

Petersen is a common Danish patronymic surname, meaning "son of Peter". There are other spellings. Petersen may refer to:

## People
### In arts and entertainment

* Adolf Dahm-Petersen, Norwegian voice specialist
* Anja Petersen, German operatic soprano and university lecturer
* Anker Eli Petersen, Faroese writer and artist
* Ann Petersen, Belgian actress
* Chris Petersen (born 1963), American child actor
* Devon Petersen (born 1986), South African darts player
* Elmer Petersen, American artist
* Gustaf Munch-Petersen, Danish writer and painter
* Joel Petersen, bass guitarist
* John Hahn-Petersen, Danish actor
* Josef Petersen, Danish novelist
* Patrick Petersen, American actor
* Paul Petersen, American movie actor, singer, novelist, and activist
* Robert E. Petersen, publisher, auto museum founder
* Robert Storm Petersen, Danish cartoonist, writer, animator, illustrator, painter and humorist
* Sandy Petersen, American game designer
* Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, German musician
* William Petersen, American actor
* Wolfgang Petersen (1941–2022), German film director

### In government and politics

* Alicia O'Shea Petersen, Australian activist
* Alfonso Petersen, Mayor of Guadalajara, Mexico
* Andrew Petersen, member of the United States House of Representatives
* Carl Wilhelm Petersen (1868–1933), German politician and first mayor of Hamburg
* Chap (John Chapman) Petersen, American, Virginia politician
* Cynthia Petersen, Canadian judge
* Elsebeth Kock-Petersen, Danish politician
* Ewa Hedkvist Petersen, Swedish politician
* Flo Bjelke-Petersen, Australian politician and writer
* George Petersen, Australian politician
* Hans Christian Petersen, Norwegian politician
* Harald Petersen, Danish politician
* Hjalmar Petersen, American politician
* Jan Petersen, Norwegian diplomat and politician
* Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Australian politician
* Kim E. Petersen, (born 1956) American security and counter-terrorism expert
* Marita Petersen, Faroese politician
* Matthew S. Petersen, U.S. Federal Election Commission member
* Niels Helveg Petersen, Danish politician
* Olga Petersen (born 1982), German politician
* P. Walter Petersen, American politician
* Søren Jessen-Petersen, Danish United Nations official

### In music

* Petersen Zagaze Zambian singer and song writer.

### In military

* Danny J. Petersen, 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, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps) rear admiral and fourth Director of the NOAA Corps

### In religion

* Johann Wilhelm Petersen, German theologian, mystic, and Millennialist.
* Johanna Eleonora Petersen, German theologian, exponant of Radical Pietism
* Mark E. Petersen, member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)
* Ole Peter Petersen, founder of Methodism in Norway

### In sport

* Alviro Petersen, South African cricketer
* Cal Petersen (born 1994), professional ice hockey goaltender
* Chris Petersen (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, Australian rugby player
* Michael Petersen (baseball) (born 1994), American baseball player
* Morten Petersen, Danish football player
* Nils Petersen, German football player
* Sara Petersen (badminton), New Zealand badminton player
* Sara Petersen (hurdler), Danish 400 metres hurdler
* Ted Petersen, football player
* Thyge Petersen, Danish boxer

### In other fields

* Anders Petersen (disambiguation)
* Carl Petersen (disambiguation)
* Grant Petersen, American bicycle company owner
* Jack Petersen (disambiguation)
* Johan Carl Christian Petersen, Danish seaman, interpreter, and Arctic explorer
* Johanne Christine Petersen, Danish educator
* Julius Petersen, Danish mathematician
* Julius Petersen, Literary scholar and university professor
* Rodney L. Petersen, American scholar of history, ethics, and religious conflict
* Ron Petersen (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
* Petersen Bay, Greenland
* Petersen graph, famous for its special properties in graph theory
* Petersen family, a particular family of seven graphs transformable to each other via Δ–Y or Y–Δ transforms