Surname Olsen - Meaning and Origin
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read moreOlsen: What does the surname Olsen mean?
The last name Olsen is of Scandinavian origin and it literally means "son of Ole" or "son of Olaf." The “-sen” suffix represents “son” or “descendant,” a common feature of Scandinavian patronymic surnames. In this case, Ole or Olaf are Old Norse personal names; 'Ole' derives from 'Óli', which is cognate to the English name 'Oliver,' whereas 'Olaf' derives from 'Óláfr' and may mean "ancestor's descendant". This naming tradition involves using the father’s first name as the child’s last name and was widely used until the late 19th century when many Scandinavian countries legislated to inherit the father's last name. Today, Olsen is a common surname in Norway and Denmark, as well as among Scandinavian descendants in English-speaking countries.
Order DNA origin analysisOlsen: Where does the name Olsen come from?
The last name Olsen is most common in Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway. According to the World Names Profiler, the name is in the top 50 lists for Norway, Iceland, and Sweden. In Norway, Olsen is the third most popular name and it is also the 10th most popular surname in the country.
In the United States, Olsen is not as common, but there are still many people with this last name living in the country. The US Census Bureau estimated that there were over 90,000 people with the last name Olsen in 2020. Cities where the last name is most commonly found in the US include Minneapolis, Denver, and Chicago, with the highest concentration found in the states of Minnesota, New Jersey, and Wisconsin.
The name is also common in other parts of the world, including Canada, Germany, Australia, Great Britain, and New Zealand. It is particularly popular in Canada, where it ranks in the top 200 most common last names.
Overall, the last name Olsen is very common throughout much of the world with the highest concentrations found in Scandinavian nations such as Norway.
Variations of the surname Olsen
The surname Olsen is of Scandinavian origin and is derived from the Old Norse personal name Olaf. It is commonly found in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands.
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Olsen include Olesen, Ollson, Olsson, Ohlsen, Holsen, and Holson.
In Norway, the Olsens use the uncommon patronymic surname Olsdratter. This name can also be spelt Olssön or Olstein, and it is derived from the Old Norse name Óláfr.
In Denmark, the form Ohlsen is frequently used. This is possibly related to Ohl, which is an old Danish nickname from the Old Norse personal name Hallvarðr.
In Sweden, the Old Norse personal names Anlaf and Arnlaf gave rise to the surnames Olaf and Arnlaf respectively. The surname Olafson or Olafsohn may also derive from Olaf in Sweden.
In the Faroe Islands, the surname Olsven is derived from the Old Norse personal name Óláfr and is a common variant of the surname Olsen.
In the United States, the most common spellings are Olsen and Oleson, making up the majority of individuals with the surname Olsen. There are also numerous variants, including Olson, Ohlsen, Ollson and Holsen, although these are noticeably less frequent.
Famous people with the name Olsen
- Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen: American fashion designers, producers, actresses, and entrepreneurs.
- Trent Olsen: Canadian actor.
- Jake Olsen: American singer/songwriter.
- Christian Olsen: American actor.
- Matthew Olsen: American lawyer and Director of the National Counterterrorism Center from 2011 to 2014.
- Elizabeth Olsen: American actress and younger sister of the Olsen twins.
- Zachary Olsen: Australian professional golfer.
- John David Olsen: Norwegian musician and singer/songwriter.
- Erling Olsen: Norwegian épée and foil fencer.
- Fritz Olsen: Danish-American architect.
- Sharla Olsen: American voice actress.
- Sondre Olsen: Norwegian footballer.
- Shawna Olsen: American actress.
- Ragnar Olsen: Norwegian judge and politician.
- Tessa Olsen: American singer/songwriter and taxidermist.
- Carrie Olsen: American figure skater.
- Nora Olsen: American actress and singer.
- Pieter Olsen: Danish politician and Speaker of the Faroese parliament.
- Patricia Olsen: American artist and photographer.
- Elon Olsen: American jazz trumpet player and composer.