NameCensus.

UK surname

Nielson

Son of Niel, a Scandinavian variant of Neil, derived from the Gaelic name Niall meaning "champion."

In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Nielson surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 231, ranked #17,764, down from #14,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lancashire, Brighton and Hove and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nielson is 276 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.2%.

1881 census count

166

Ranked #14,496

Modern count

231

2016, ranked #17,764

Peak year

1891

276 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nielson had 166 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016, ranked #17,764.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 276 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Nielson surname distribution map

The map shows where the Nielson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Nielson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nielson over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 261 #8,490
1861 historical 209 #11,596
1881 historical 166 #14,496
1891 historical 276 #11,810
1901 historical 184 #15,942
1911 historical 150 #17,866
1997 modern 209 #17,157
1998 modern 220 #17,074
1999 modern 247 #15,932
2000 modern 240 #16,186
2001 modern 224 #16,716
2002 modern 232 #16,637
2003 modern 212 #17,454
2004 modern 214 #17,435
2005 modern 204 #17,893
2006 modern 202 #18,160
2007 modern 219 #17,425
2008 modern 233 #16,885
2009 modern 242 #16,789
2010 modern 255 #16,563
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 226 #17,679
2013 modern 227 #17,922
2014 modern 228 #17,977
2015 modern 228 #17,899
2016 modern 231 #17,764

Geography

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Where Nielsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh and Hartlepool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lancashire, Brighton and Hove, The Vale of Glamorgan, Wirral and West Devon. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bothwell Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Hartlepool Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lancashire 014 West Lancashire
2 Brighton and Hove 032 Brighton and Hove
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 002 Vale of Glamorgan
4 Wirral 013 Wirral
5 West Devon 001 West Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nielson

These lists show first names that appear often with the Nielson surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nielson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Nielson, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Nielson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Nielson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nielson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nielson is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nielson falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nielson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Nielson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nielson

The surname Nielson has its origins primarily in Scandinavia, particularly Norway and Denmark. It is a patronymic name, meaning it was derived from the name of the father or an ancestor. The root of the name is "Niel" or "Nils," which is a Scandinavian form of the name Nicholas.

In the Middle Ages, it was common practice in Scandinavia to identify individuals by their father's name, using the suffix "-son" or "-sen" to indicate "son of." Thus, Nielson would have originally referred to the son of a man named Niel or Nils.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Nielson can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in Norway and Denmark, appearing in various historical records and documents from that time period. Some variations in spelling include Nielssen, Nielssen, and Nielsson.

One notable historical figure bearing the name Nielson was Niels Ebbesen Nielson, a Danish landowner and military leader who played a significant role in the Burning of the Castle of Copenhagen in 1368, an event that marked the beginning of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Another prominent individual was Niels Henrik Nielson (1808-1874), a Danish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and the study of the orbits of comets and asteroids.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nielson dates back to the late 18th century, with the arrival of Norwegian and Danish immigrants. Hans Nielson, a Norwegian-born merchant and ship owner, settled in New York City in the late 1700s and played a role in the city's maritime trade.

Peter Nielson (1802-1864), a Danish-American businessman and politician, was one of the earliest settlers of Racine, Wisconsin, and served as a member of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature in the 1840s.

Another notable figure was Neils Nielson (1865-1936), a Norwegian-American architect who designed several notable buildings in Chicago, including the Auditorium Building and the Studebaker Theater.

While the surname Nielson is more commonly found in Scandinavia and among descendants of Scandinavian immigrants, it has also been adopted by individuals of various backgrounds over time, reflecting the movement and assimilation of populations throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nielson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nielson surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 36 Nielsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.79x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 36 6.79x
Durham 17 3.49x
Lancashire 17 0.87x
Middlesex 16 0.98x
Northumberland 14 5.74x
Midlothian 7 3.19x
Yorkshire 7 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 6 2.72x
Kent 5 0.89x
Denbighshire 4 6.46x
Glamorgan 4 1.40x
Angus 3 1.98x
Fife 3 3.09x
Gloucestershire 3 0.93x
Lincolnshire 3 1.15x
Wigtownshire 3 13.79x
Aberdeenshire 2 1.32x
Dunbartonshire 2 4.54x
Hampshire 2 0.60x
Bedfordshire 1 1.18x
Berkshire 1 0.81x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.96x
Cornwall 1 0.54x
Inverness-shire 1 2.04x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 4.22x
Renfrewshire 1 0.79x
Royal Navy 1 5.12x
Selkirkshire 1 6.75x
Somerset 1 0.38x
Staffordshire 1 0.18x
Suffolk 1 0.50x
Surrey 1 0.13x
Sutherland 1 7.94x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 16 Nielsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.21x.

Place Total Index
Govan 16 12.21x
Kensington London 9 9.88x
Liverpool 9 7.62x
Glasgow 6 6.38x
Old Monkland 6 28.53x
Bulwell 5 104.17x
Elswick 5 25.69x
Norton 5 279.33x
Stranton 5 30.47x
Barony 4 2.98x
Hartlepool 4 57.72x
St Asaph Cil Owen 4 1739.13x
Deptford St Paul 3 6.96x
Dunfermline 3 20.11x
Great Grimsby 3 18.04x
Roath 3 23.15x
Sculcoates 3 11.66x
Tweedmouth 3 98.68x
Walton On Hill 3 28.49x
West Derby 3 5.27x
Bishopwearmouth 2 4.78x
Carnwath 2 60.98x
Dundee 2 3.53x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 2.26x
Fraserburgh 2 46.84x
Hornsey 2 9.65x
Kirkintilloch 2 33.44x
Mochrum 2 153.85x
North Hamlet 2 689.66x
South Leith 2 8.10x
Ventnor 2 62.70x
Westgate 2 13.25x
Arbroath 1 19.88x
Assynt 1 129.87x
Beckenham 1 13.68x
Broughton In Salford 1 5.62x
Cadder 1 25.58x
Cardiff St Mary 1 6.36x
Chirton 1 18.12x
Clare 1 104.17x
Earley 1 48.78x
Easingwold 1 86.96x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 21.93x
Falmouth 1 15.22x
Fulham London 1 4.21x
Gloucester St Catherine 1 109.89x
Goole 1 36.76x
Greenock Newor Middle 1 909.09x
Greenwich 1 3.83x
Hackney London 1 1.09x
Handsworth 1 7.34x
Harrold 1 175.44x
Kirkmaiden 1 72.46x
Kirkpatrick Durham 1 135.14x
Leith North 1 238.10x
Lesmahagow 1 17.86x
Melrose 1 26.81x
Middlesbrough 1 4.73x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 6.87x
North Shields 1 20.53x
Norwood 1 26.67x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.75x
St Marylebone London 1 1.14x
St Michael Cambridge 1 333.33x
Strath 1 67.11x
Toxteth Park 1 1.52x
Tynemouth 1 7.66x
Wembdon 1 128.21x
West Calder 1 23.09x
Westminster St 1 16.56x
Whitby 1 18.28x
Whitworth 1 28.01x
Wimbledon 1 11.16x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Nielson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 7
Sarah 7
Eliza 3
Caroline 2
Elfleda 2
Elizabeth 2
Isabella 2
Margaret 2
Alexandra 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Celine 1
Christana 1
Dora 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Karen 1
Kate 1
Katy 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margrethe 1
Margt.J.. 1
Martha 1
Menna 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Nielson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 7
John 5
Christian 3
George 3
Joseph 3
Carl 2
Frederick 2
Hans 2
Peter 2
Victor 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Anders 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Hebs 1
Heinricks 1
Hermann 1
Johann 1
Jorgen 1
K. 1
Matthew 1
Niel 1
Niels 1
Olf 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Simon 1

FAQ

Nielson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nielson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Nielson surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nielson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016. That gives Nielson a modern rank of #17,764.

What does the Nielson surname mean?

Son of Niel, a Scandinavian variant of Neil, derived from the Gaelic name Niall meaning "champion."

What does the Nielson map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Nielson bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.