Nilsen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Denmark
Norway
Sweden

The surname Nilsen 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.

Nilsen Spelling Variations

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

Nilsen Ranking

In the United States, the name Nilsen is the 9,413^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Nilsen migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Nilsen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jonas Nilsen, who arrived in New York, NY in 1743 2
Margaret Nilsen, who arrived in New York, NY in 1743 2

Nilsen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

H Nilsen, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 2
T Nilsen, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 2
Nils Greger Nilsen, who landed in Minnesota in 1865 2
Anna Christensen Nilsen, who landed in Minnesota in 1867 2
Harry Nilsen, who landed in Mississippi in 1893 2

Nilsen Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Lars Nilsen, who landed in Mississippi in 1905 2
Niels Nilsen, who arrived in Alabama in 1917 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Nilsen (post 1700) +

Vidar Nilsen (b. 1970), American Hollywood writer
Siri Nilsen, American-Norwegian singer, song-writer, voice actress, and dancer
Anders Nilsen (b. 1973), popular American artist and graphic novelist
Werner “Scotty” Nilsen (1904-1992), former Norwegian American soccer player
Norman O. Nilsen, American Democratic Party politician, Oregon commissioner of labor, 1955- 3
Bjorn "Lillebjorn" Falk Nilsen (1950-2024), Norwegian singer-songwriter and folk musician
Nils Olav Nilsen (1942-2021), Norwegian footballer who played as a striker, but was later used as a midfielder, he scored 19 goals in 62 matches for the Norway national team
Rolf Just Nilsen (1931-1981), Norwegian singer and actor
Harald Christian Strand Nilsen (b. 1971), retired Norwegian alpine skier
Ole-Jørgen Nilsen (1936-2008), Norwegian actor
... (Another 20 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html