Poulsen
A Scandinavian patronymic surname meaning “son of Poul” (Paul).
The #8,496 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 79,635 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Poulsen is a patronymic surname built from the given name Poul, the Danish and Norwegian form of Paul, plus -sen, meaning “son of.” In literal terms, it means “son of Poul” or “son of Paul.” The root ultimately goes back to Latin Paulus, a Roman family name meaning “small” or “humble.”
History
This surname is especially associated with Denmark and Norway, where -sen surnames are common. As hereditary surnames became fixed, patronymics like Poulsen continued to be passed down from one generation to the next. The name also spread to other countries through migration, especially to North America.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Poulsen is the Danish/Norwegian counterpart of the more broadly familiar English surname Paulson.