www.rathjen.dk

Father: Jørgen Rathjen, born in Copenhagen in 1921, died in 1989.

Mother: Gudrun Petersen, now Rathjen; born in Varde in 1930, died 2007.

Children

Deanna Agnete Rathjen: Born in Vejle in the year 1945 and
married to Alex.
Children: Leon; born in 1967, Joan; born in 1970
and Ryan born in 1973; all born Christensen.

Lis Judy Rathjen: Born in Copenhagen in the year 1947.
Children: Jesper Rathjen; born in 1974.

Stanley Jørgen Rathjen: Born in Copenhagen in 1952 and
married to Caroline.
Children: Jeremy Michael Rathjen; born in 2005.

Bent Just Rathjen: Born in Copenhagen in 1957 and
married to Annette.
Children: Nicolai Rathjen; born in 1998.

Susy Joan Rathjen, now Therkildsen:  Born in Stockholm,
Sweden in 1960 and married to René.
Children: Heidi ; born in 1992.

Pele Paulus Sander Rathjen: Born in Copenhagen in 1962.
married to Helle, no children.

This surname of RATHJEN is of various origins. It was a French nickname for a sly and agile individual, derived from the Old French word RAT. It was also a German and Ashkenazic Jewish nickname for a wise person and in some cases the name may also have applied to someone with mouse-coloured hair. Nicknames usually originated as a by-name for someone by describing their appearance, personal disposition or character but which became handed down through the ages and did not apply to their descendants. The name has numerous variant spellings which include RATHKE, LERAT, RATH, RATHE, RATTI, RATTO, RADON, RATET, RATY and RATHGEN, to name but a few. For the majority of the English speaking peoples, the main sources of names have been the traditions of the various Germanic tribes of Northern Europe, and the names introduced by the Church, perhaps Hebrew names of the Old Testament, or Greek and Roman names of the New Testament and saints. Many names were brought over to England by the invading Anglo-Saxons, a mixed collection of people from various Germanic tribes, speaking various dialects which were called Old English. A notable member of the name was Martin Heinrich RATHKE (1793-1860) the German electrotechnician and industrialist, born in Berlin of Jewish parents. He organized the Allegmeine Elektrizitats Gesellschaft, founded by his father, and German war industries during World War I. In 1921 as minister of reconstruction he dealt with reparations. His works include 'Von kommenden Dingen'. It was not until the 10th century that modern hereditary surnames first developed, and the use of fixed names spread, first to France, and then England, then to Germany and all of Europe. In these parts of Europe, the individual man was becoming more important, commerce was increasing and the exact identification of each man was becoming a necessity. Even today however, the Church does not recognise surnames. Baptisms and marriages are performed through use of the Christian name alone. Thus hereditary names as we know them today developed gradually during the 11th to the 15th century in the various European countries.