NameCensus.

UK surname

Olsen

A patronymic surname of Danish and Norwegian origin, meaning "son of Ole" or "descendant of Olaf."

In the 1881 census there were 557 people recorded with the Olsen surname, ranking it #6,205 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,840, ranked #3,445, up from #6,205 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Swansea and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Olsen is 1,859 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 230.3%.

1881 census count

557

Ranked #6,205

Modern count

1,840

2016, ranked #3,445

Peak year

2015

1,859 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Olsen had 557 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,205 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,840 in 2016, ranked #3,445.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,218 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Olsen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Olsen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Olsen 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 28 #30,405
1881 historical 557 #6,205
1891 historical 781 #5,140
1901 historical 1,172 #4,169
1911 historical 1,218 #3,879
1997 modern 1,634 #3,628
1998 modern 1,724 #3,592
1999 modern 1,749 #3,571
2000 modern 1,699 #3,644
2001 modern 1,660 #3,648
2002 modern 1,740 #3,581
2003 modern 1,740 #3,501
2004 modern 1,746 #3,490
2005 modern 1,706 #3,531
2006 modern 1,694 #3,557
2007 modern 1,752 #3,490
2008 modern 1,774 #3,480
2009 modern 1,823 #3,466
2010 modern 1,851 #3,495
2011 modern 1,812 #3,517
2012 modern 1,801 #3,481
2013 modern 1,820 #3,502
2014 modern 1,847 #3,479
2015 modern 1,859 #3,430
2016 modern 1,840 #3,445

Geography

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Where Olsens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Toxteth Park, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Swansea, Sunderland, Thanet and South Tyneside. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 020 Caerphilly
2 Swansea 019 Swansea
3 Sunderland 024 Sunderland
4 Thanet 013 Thanet
5 South Tyneside 003 South Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Olsen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Olsen

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

Olsen 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

Olsen 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 Olsen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Olsen

The surname Olsen originates from the Nordic countries, primarily Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. It is a patronymic name formed by adding the suffix "-sen" to the first name Ole, which is a variant of the Old Norse name Óláfr. The name Óláfr is derived from the Old Norse elements "anu" meaning ancestor and "leifr" meaning descendant or heir.

Olsen was a common surname among Scandinavian families during the Middle Ages. It can be traced back to the Viking Age, when the use of patronymic surnames became prevalent in the region. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Olsen can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, which date back to the 13th and 14th centuries.

In Norway, the name Olsen has a long and rich history. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Olaf Olsen, a Norwegian farmer who lived in the late 13th century. His name is mentioned in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents.

Another notable figure with the surname Olsen was Erik Olsen, a Danish astronomer and mathematician who lived from 1501 to 1569. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial navigation and is considered one of the pioneers of modern astronomy.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Olsen appeared in various historical records across Scandinavia, including church registers and census documents. One prominent individual from this era was Johan Olsen, a Norwegian explorer and whaler who participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions in the early 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Olsen surname gained further prominence with individuals such as Ole Olsen, a Norwegian-American businessman and co-founder of the Olsen Brothers Circus, which operated in the United States from the late 1800s to the mid-20th century.

Another notable figure was Frederik Olsen, a Norwegian shipowner and industrialist who lived from 1838 to 1920. He founded the Olsen shipping company, which played a significant role in the development of Norway's maritime industry.

While the Olsen surname has its roots in Scandinavia, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. Today, individuals with the surname Olsen can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, among others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Olsen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Olsen 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. Lancashire leads with 92 Olsens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.40x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 92 1.40x
Durham 83 5.04x
Yorkshire 57 1.04x
Northumberland 56 6.80x
Middlesex 38 0.69x
Midlothian 27 3.64x
Lincolnshire 18 2.04x
Cheshire 15 1.23x
Glamorgan 14 1.45x
Renfrewshire 14 3.27x
Surrey 14 0.52x
Kent 13 0.69x
Staffordshire 12 0.64x
Essex 11 1.01x
Devon 10 0.87x
Lanarkshire 10 0.56x
Caithness 9 11.88x
Cornwall 9 1.44x
Hampshire 9 0.79x
Somerset 9 1.01x
Royal Navy 8 12.14x
Monmouthshire 6 1.50x
Caernarfonshire 5 2.24x
Channel Islands 4 2.44x
Derbyshire 4 0.46x
Dorset 3 0.83x
Angus 2 0.39x
Ayrshire 2 0.48x
Gloucestershire 2 0.18x
West Lothian 2 2.40x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.20x
Anglesey 1 1.02x
Fife 1 0.31x
Morayshire 1 1.16x
Norfolk 1 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.13x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.57x
Stirlingshire 1 0.49x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 47 Olsens recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.79x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 47 11.79x
South Shields 35 238.74x
Westoe 26 27.87x
Leith North 21 1478.87x
Holy Trinity 19 14.41x
Great Grimsby 18 32.07x
Chirton 17 91.30x
North Shields 14 85.26x
Toxteth Park 14 6.30x
Stranton 13 23.47x
Bootle Cum Linacre 11 21.11x
Rotherhithe 11 16.10x
Tynemouth 11 24.96x
Cardiff St Mary 10 18.85x
Poplar London 10 9.58x
St George In East 9 23.92x
Bedminster 8 9.56x
Handsworth 8 17.38x
Olrig 8 211.64x
Kirkdale 7 6.34x
Middlesbrough 7 9.81x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 7.89x
Drypool 6 71.51x
Kingstonupon Hull 6 136.67x
Renfrew 6 42.40x
Southcoates 6 19.72x
Wallasey 6 144.23x
West Ham 6 2.49x
Barony 5 1.10x
Barrow In Furness 5 5.60x
Bishopwearmouth 5 3.54x
Middle Greenock 5 42.74x
Salford 5 2.59x
Southampton St Mary 5 7.01x
Wallsend 5 19.16x
Birkenhead 4 4.11x
Chelsea London 4 2.40x
East Ham 4 19.74x
Falmouth 4 18.05x
Glasgow 4 1.26x
Limehouse London 4 6.59x
Litchurch 4 11.48x
Newport 4 20.98x
St Peter 4 84.57x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 2.02x
Tranmere 4 8.91x
Ynyscynhaiarn 4 38.42x
Cramond 3 53.38x
Hook 3 24.88x
Milton In Gravesend 3 10.60x
Newcastle On Tyne 3 340.91x
Roath 3 6.86x
Southampton 3 333.33x
Bedlington 2 7.28x
Bermondsey 2 1.21x
Borrowstounness 2 2500.00x
Bristol Temple 2 28.01x
Elvet 2 16.84x
Goole 2 21.79x
Greenock Newor Middle 2 526.32x
Heworth 2 6.17x
Hornsey 2 2.86x
Madron Penzance 2 8.78x
Minster In Thanet 2 50.89x
Old Cumnock 2 21.69x
Paddington London 2 0.98x
Poole St James 2 14.66x
Scilly Islands 2 178.57x
St Pancras London 2 0.45x
St Woollos 2 4.48x
Whitechapel London 2 3.67x
York St Andrew 2 377.36x
All Hallows Barking 1 72.46x
Deptford St Nicholas 1 6.68x
Elloughton Cum Brough 1 59.17x
Hastings St Mary 1 4.31x
Kinning Park 1 384.62x
Llanbeblig 1 4.41x
Plymouth Charles The 1 1.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Margaret 9
Elizabeth 8
Eliza 6
Ellen 6
Sarah 6
Amelia 5
Ann 5
Annie 5
Marie 4
Emily 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Anna 2
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Elise 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Henrietta 2
Ida 2
Isabella 2
Lily 2
Matilda 2
Allina 1
Aonssoan 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Cathrin 1
Charlotte 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eleaner 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizath. 1
Eva 1
Ferdinande 1
Gertrude 1
Gunda 1
Hellga 1
Henderica 1
Hilda 1
Hulda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 19
Hans 16
Ole 16
Charles 15
Peter 11
Andrew 10
Carl 10
Johan 7
Olaf 7
Christian 6
Andreas 5
August 5
Henry 5
James 5
Oscar 5
William 5
Julius 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Gunder 3
Lars 3
Neils 3
O. 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Fred 2
Gustav 2
Jens 2
Johann 2
L. 2
Martin 2
Nils 2
Oliver 2
Oluf 2
Otto 2
P. 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Seren 2
Svend 2
Theodor 2
Theodore 2
Asbyon 1
C.Johan 1
C.Peter 1
Carel 1
Ch. 1

FAQ

Olsen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Olsen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 557 people were recorded with the Olsen surname. That placed it at #6,205 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Olsen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,840 in 2016. That gives Olsen a modern rank of #3,445.

What does the Olsen surname mean?

A patronymic surname of Danish and Norwegian origin, meaning "son of Ole" or "descendant of Olaf."

What does the Olsen map show?

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