View source for Thiessen (Thiesen, Tiessen, Tyssen, Tieszen) family

The Thiessen family name is common among Mennonites of Prusso-Russian background, and was first entered in the [[Danzig Mennonite Church (Gdansk, Poland)|Danzig]] record in 1685. The name was common in [[Tiegenhagen (Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland)|Tiegenhagen]], [[Ladekopp (Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland)|Ladekopp]], [[Rosenort Mennonite Church (Rosenort, Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland)|Rosenort]], [[Fürstenwerder (Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland)|Fürstenwerder]], [[Heubuden (Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland)|Heubuden]], [[Elbing (Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland)|Elbing]], and [[Königsberg (Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia)|Königsberg]]. [[Thiessen, Bernhard (1814-1855)|Bernhard Thiessen]] was a minister at [[Ibersheim (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)|Ibersheim]], [[Germany|Germany]]. [[Thiessen, Dirk (1727-1806)|Dirk Tiessen]] was a preacher of the Old Flemish Grosswerder congregation, serving as elder of the [[Petershagen (Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland)|Petershagen]] district, and of the entire Grosswerder congregation from 1767-1806. [[Tiessen, Peter (d. 1825)|Peter Thiessen Sr]]. and [[Tiessen, Peter (ca. 1764-1826)|Peter Thiessen Jr]]. were preachers in the [[Danzig Mennonite Church (Gdansk, Poland)|Danzig Flemish]] church from 1774 and 1800. 

From Prussia the name was transplanted to [[Russia|Russia]]. [[Unruh, Benjamin Heinrich (1881-1959)|B. H. Unruh]] lists seventeen bearers of the name who moved to Russia. Outstanding among them was Johann Thiessen, who owned a flourmill in [[Ekaterinoslav (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine)|Ekaterinoslav]] and was a benefactor of Mennonite causes. He was killed in 1920. Julius J. Thiessen, of the [[Molotschna Mennonite Settlement (Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Molotschna]], Russia, was an outstanding minister and teacher. Jacob Thiessen, born 1888 at [[Olgafeld (Fürstenland Mennonite Settlement, Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Olgafeld]] in [[Fürstenland Mennonite Settlement (Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Fürstenland]], Russia, immigrated to the [[Netherlands|Netherlands]] in 1914, and served as minister in the Mennonite congregations of [[Ouddorp (Zuid-Holland, Netherlands)|Ouddorp]] 1939-1945 and [[Blokzijl (Overijssel, Netherlands)|Blokzijl]] 1946-1953. 

In the USA, John Thiessen of [[North Newton (Kansas, USA)|North Newton]], Kansas, served as executive secretary of the [[Board of Missions (General Conference Mennonite Church)|Board of Missions]] of the [[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]] (GCM) and was formerly a missionary in [[India|India]]. Dirk P. Tieszen was a minister (GCM) at Marion, South Dakota. His son Edward D. Tieszen was the owner of the Tieszen Clinic at Marion.

In Canada [[Thiessen, Jacob Johann "J. J." (1893-1977)|Jacob J. Thiessen]], pastor of the First Mennonite Church of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was chair of the [[C364me.html|Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization]] and president of the [[Conference of Mennonites in Canada|Conference of Mennonites in Canada]] for many years. [[Thiessen, Franz C. (1881-1950)|Franz C. Thiessen]] was an able educator and minister of the Mennonite Brethren in Canada. 
= Bibliography =
Reimer, Gustav E. <em>Die Familiennamen der westpreussischen Mennoniten. </em>Weierhof, 1940: 119.

Töws, A. A. <em>Mennonitische Märtyrer</em> I. N. Clearbrook, BC, 1949: 151.

Unruh, B. H. <em>Die niederländisch-niederdeutschen Hintergründe der mennonitischen Ostwanderungen im 16., 18. und 19. Jahrhundert. </em>Karlsruhe-Rüppurr, 1955.
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[[Category:Family Names]]