Ansen (Low Saxon: Aansen) is a small village between Dwingeloo and Ruinen in the Dutch province of Drenthe. Ansen has 340 inhabitants (January 1, 2020). Together with dozens of other places, villages and hamlets, including Alteveer, Koekange, Ruinerwold, Veeningen and Zuidwolde, it belongs to the municipality of De Wolden.
To the north-east of the village lie the Anserfield (meadows) and the Anserdennen with the Ansersân (together 100 ha), to the north-west the Anser Hea- and miedlanden. Sources write: 1261 de Ance, 1262 de Ancen, 1263 Anece, 1273 Ansen, 1316 de Ancen, 1325 de Amsen, 1333 de Ansen and in the 14th century Anze and Enze. On the French map (1811-1813) there is Anssen; the later forest was then called Anssner Zand. The name will certainly be related to the outdated male name Anse. Ansen did not belong to the glory of Ruinen, but to the parish, and was also obliged to pay "skuldmudden". Ansen delivered one mud at the time; so there was only one house. In the 12th century there is talk of a House in Ansen, inhabited by Volker, a nephew of the bishop and ancestor of the Ansen family. In retaliation for the lost Battle of Ane (1227), Ansen and the House were completely destroyed by the successors of the bishop of Utrecht in 1228. Around 1800, the newly built house, the state (havezathe) Ansen, was demolished and used as a farm. The village is known for its beautiful Saxon farms and the Rheebruggen estate (towards Uffelte).