Show ContentsKarlson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Schleswig-Holstein, which is the northernmost state in western Germany, is the homeland of the proud surname Karlson. German surnames developed at a time when most of Schleswig, and most of the German provinces, were states of the Holy Roman Empire. At first people used only a single name, but as the population grew and people began to travel, they began to find it necessary to take on an additional name to differentiate themselves. Fairly general principles guided the development of hereditary surnames in Schleswig. Two of the common types of family names found in the Schleswig are patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. The surname Karlson derived from the Old German personal name Karl, which is derived from the Middle Latin word "carolus," which refers to an adult male.

Early Origins of the Karlson family

The surname Karlson was first found in Schleswig-Holstein, where the family rose to prominence early in the mediaeval era. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Karlson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Karlson research. Another 135 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1717 and 1827 are included under the topic Early Karlson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Karlson Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Karlson, Carlson, Karlsen, Carlsen, Karlsson, Karlssen, Carlsson and many more.

Early Notables of the Karlson family

Another 25 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Karlson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Karlson Ranking

In the United States, the name Karlson is the 13,249th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Karlson family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Brita Carlsen, who landed in New York City in 1847. Carl Carlsson arrived in New York in 1846; while Johan Carlson arrived there in 1849.


Contemporary Notables of the name Karlson (post 1700) +

  • Phil Karlson (1908-1985), American director, assistant director for a number of Abbott and Costello film shorts
  • Henry A. Karlson, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Erie County 8th District, 1932 2
  • Christian Karlson Stead ONZ, CBE (b. 1932), New Zealand writer whose works include novels, poetry, short stories, and literary criticism

Winter Quarters coal mine
  • Mr. John Karlson (b. 1859), "Uusi-Tarkka, Juho, Herman, Kapposon", Finnish mine worker from Kauhajoki residing in Scofield, Utah who worked in the Winter Quarters coal mine on 1st May 1900, when 10 of the 25lb kegs of black powder exploded; he died in the explosion 3


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  3. Miners killed in Winter Quarters (retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from http://www.carbon-utgenweb.com/miners.html


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