NameCensus.

UK surname

Nilsson

A patronymic surname of Swedish origin meaning "son of Nils."

In the 1881 census there were 27 people recorded with the Nilsson surname, ranking it #29,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 541, ranked #9,407, up from #29,793 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Willesden, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Monmouthshire, South Tyneside and Scarborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nilsson is 541 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1903.7%.

1881 census count

27

Ranked #29,793

Modern count

541

2016, ranked #9,407

Peak year

2016

541 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nilsson had 27 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 541 in 2016, ranked #9,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 125 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Nilsson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nilsson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nilsson 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
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 27 #29,793
1891 historical 55 #29,744
1901 historical 90 #24,021
1911 historical 125 #19,932
1997 modern 357 #11,998
1998 modern 395 #11,452
1999 modern 429 #10,874
2000 modern 441 #10,611
2001 modern 425 #10,716
2002 modern 452 #10,408
2003 modern 439 #10,487
2004 modern 434 #10,619
2005 modern 426 #10,649
2006 modern 440 #10,435
2007 modern 472 #9,978
2008 modern 495 #9,720
2009 modern 500 #9,862
2010 modern 523 #9,726
2011 modern 508 #9,839
2012 modern 506 #9,776
2013 modern 525 #9,675
2014 modern 536 #9,579
2015 modern 535 #9,530
2016 modern 541 #9,407

Geography

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Where Nilssons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Willesden, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Newcastle St John and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Monmouthshire, South Tyneside, Scarborough, Kensington and Chelsea and Richmond upon Thames. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Newcastle St John Northumberland
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Monmouthshire 005 Monmouthshire
2 South Tyneside 016 South Tyneside
3 Scarborough 002 Scarborough
4 Kensington and Chelsea 006 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Richmond upon Thames 001 Richmond upon Thames

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nilsson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nilsson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Nilsson, 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 Nilsson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Nilsson 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Nilsson is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nilsson 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

Nilsson falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nilsson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Nilsson

The surname Nilsson originated in Sweden during the medieval period. It is a patronymic name, meaning "son of Nils". Nils is a common Swedish name derived from the Old Norse name Nīkolāss, which was ultimately borrowed from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning "victory of the people".

Nilsson is one of the most widespread surnames in Sweden, particularly in the southern regions of Skåne, Halland, and Blekinge. This reflects the popularity of the given name Nils in these areas during the Middle Ages when patronymic surnames became more widespread.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nilsson surname can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian diplomatic documents. The name appears in a charter dated 1389, referring to a man named Niels Nielsson from Skåne.

In the 16th century, the Swedish church began keeping more systematic records of births, marriages, and deaths. These records provide numerous examples of individuals with the Nilsson surname, such as Ingeborg Nilsdotter (born around 1550) from Småland.

During the 17th century, several notable individuals with the Nilsson surname emerged. One was Johan Nilsson Gerdner (1607-1679), a Swedish military officer and governor of Ingria (now part of Russia). Another was Nils Nilsson Vissingsbo (1617-1688), a Swedish clergyman and author.

In the 18th century, a prominent Nilsson was Anders Nilsson Sundblad (1739-1793), a Swedish mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

The 19th century saw the rise of several notable Nilssons in various fields. These included Carl Gustaf Nilsson (1811-1892), a Swedish landscape painter; Christina Nilsson (1843-1921), a renowned Swedish operatic soprano; and August Nilsson (1839-1912), a Swedish playwright and novelist.

In the 20th century, some well-known individuals with the Nilsson surname included Birgit Nilsson (1918-2005), a celebrated Swedish operatic soprano; Lennart Nilsson (1922-2017), a Swedish photographer and researcher known for his pioneering images of human embryos; and Harry Nilsson (1941-1994), an American singer-songwriter known for hits such as "Without You" and "Coconut".

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nilsson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nilsson 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. Durham leads with 8 Nilssons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.22x.

County Total Index
Durham 8 10.22x
Middlesex 5 1.90x
Kent 3 3.34x
Lancashire 3 0.96x
Midlothian 2 5.67x
Renfrewshire 2 9.80x
Yorkshire 2 0.77x
Devon 1 1.83x
Northumberland 1 2.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Shields in Durham leads with 4 Nilssons recorded in 1881 and an index of 571.43x.

Place Total Index
South Shields 4 571.43x
Stranton 3 113.64x
Greenock East 2 20000.00x
Hoath 2 6666.67x
Leith North 2 2857.14x
Liverpool 2 10.54x
Poplar London 2 40.24x
Aislaby In Whitby 1 3333.33x
Bishopwearmouth 1 14.88x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 40.32x
Kensington London 1 6.84x
Milton In Gravesend 1 74.07x
North Shields 1 128.21x
Shoreditch London 1 8.76x
St Pancras London 1 4.72x
West Teignmouth 1 238.10x
Whitby 1 113.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anetta 1
Anna 1
Christina 1
Matilda 1
Thomasine 1
Wihling 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Carl 2
Joh. 2
Bengh 1
Chas. 1
Chris. 1
Heny. 1
J. 1
Johan 1
Nathen 1
O. 1
Robert 1
Steven 1
Thomas 1
Tufoe 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Nilsson households.

FAQ

Nilsson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nilsson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 27 people were recorded with the Nilsson surname. That placed it at #29,793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nilsson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 541 in 2016. That gives Nilsson a modern rank of #9,407.

What does the Nilsson surname mean?

A patronymic surname of Swedish origin meaning "son of Nils."

What does the Nilsson map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Nilsson 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.