Nilsen
A Scandinavian patronymic surname meaning “son of Nils.”
The #7,956 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 74,253 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Nilsen is a patronymic surname built from the given name Nils, the Scandinavian form of Nicholas, plus the suffix -sen meaning “son.” In literal terms, it means “Nils’s son” or “son of Nils.” The underlying name Nicholas ultimately comes from Greek Nikolaos, meaning “victory of the people.”
History
This surname developed in Norway and Denmark as part of the common Scandinavian naming system in which children were identified by their father’s given name. It became a hereditary family surname as fixed surnames replaced the older changing patronymic system. Nilsen is especially common in Norway and appears in the United States largely through Norwegian and Danish immigration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Nilsen is closely related to Nielsen and Nilsson, which reflect the same naming pattern in different Scandinavian languages.