Nielson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Denmark
Norway
Scotland
Sweden

The surname Nielson is derived from the Scandinavian personal name Njáll. This name has the same origin as the Gaelic name Niall, which was adopted by Scandinavian settlers in Ireland. Over time, the forms Niels and Nils developed and the patronymic suffix "sen," or "son," meaning 'son of' was added.

Nielson Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Nielson, Nielssen, Niellsen, Nilsen, Nilson, Nilssen and many more.

Nielson Ranking

In the United States, the name Nielson is the 2,417^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1

Nielson migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Nielson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Hugh Nielson, who landed in America in 1801 2
James Nielson, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 2
Eliza' h Nielson, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 2
Eliza'h Nielson, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 2
Johnas Nielson, aged 33, who landed in New York, NY in 1836 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Nielson Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Paul Knud Ulrick Nielson, who landed in Alabama in 1919 2

Nielson migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Nielson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

A. Nielson, British settler travelling from Plymouth with family aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th March 1858 3
Miss A. M. Nielson, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th March 1858 3
Mr. R. Nielson, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th March 1858 3
Mr. George Nielson, (b. 1863), aged 11 months, British settler travelling aboard the ship "Amoor" arriving in Lyttleton, South Island, New Zealand on 1st July 1864 3
Mrs. Marion Nielson, (b. 1831), aged 33, British settler travelling aboard the ship "Amoor" arriving in Lyttleton, South Island, New Zealand on 1st July 1864 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Nielson (post 1700) +

Howard Curtis Nielson (1924-2020), American politician, Member of the Utah Senate (1997-2000)
Rob Roy Nielson, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for California, 1952 4
N. P. Nielson (d. 1957), American Republican politician, Idaho State Auditor, 1947-57 4
Minnie Jean Nielson, American Republican politician, North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1919-26; Delegate to Republican National Convention from North Dakota, 1920 4
L. P. Nielson, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 58th District, 1923-26 4
Joseph L. Nielson, American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Salem; Elected 1940 4
James P. Nielson, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1940 4
Eldon D. Nielson, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from North Carolina, 1964 4
Edna M. Nielson, American politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1972 4
Donald C. Nielson, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1952 4
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Nielson family +

SS Atlantic

Maria Nielson, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
N. Nielson, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
P. Nielson, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
T. M. Nielson, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking

Winter Quarters coal mine

Mr. William Alexander Nielson (b. 1877), American mine worker from Elsinore, 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 5

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Miners killed in Winter Quarters (retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from http://www.carbon-utgenweb.com/miners.html