NameCensus.

UK surname

Olsson

A patronymic surname of Swedish origin meaning "son of Olof," with Olof being a Scandinavian form of Olav or Olaf.

In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Olsson surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 479, ranked #10,308, up from #26,735 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, Hull Holy Trinity and All Saints Poplar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackpool, Richmond upon Thames and Ryedale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Olsson is 510 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 877.6%.

1881 census count

49

Ranked #26,735

Modern count

479

2016, ranked #10,308

Peak year

2010

510 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Olsson had 49 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,735 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 479 in 2016, ranked #10,308.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 181 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Olsson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Olsson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Olsson 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1881 historical 49 #26,735
1891 historical 122 #21,053
1901 historical 158 #17,507
1911 historical 181 #15,911
1997 modern 355 #12,040
1998 modern 383 #11,748
1999 modern 402 #11,403
2000 modern 408 #11,232
2001 modern 389 #11,439
2002 modern 411 #11,208
2003 modern 390 #11,467
2004 modern 404 #11,199
2005 modern 400 #11,189
2006 modern 404 #11,159
2007 modern 438 #10,568
2008 modern 448 #10,458
2009 modern 464 #10,407
2010 modern 510 #9,899
2011 modern 509 #9,821
2012 modern 469 #10,348
2013 modern 486 #10,250
2014 modern 500 #10,077
2015 modern 486 #10,216
2016 modern 479 #10,308

Geography

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Where Olssons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, Hull Holy Trinity, All Saints Poplar, Stranton and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackpool, Richmond upon Thames, Ryedale, Wirral and Brighton and Hove. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 All Saints Poplar London (East Districts)
4 Stranton Durham
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackpool 012 Blackpool
2 Richmond upon Thames 001 Richmond upon Thames
3 Ryedale 002 Ryedale
4 Wirral 005 Wirral
5 Brighton and Hove 026 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Olsson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Olsson

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

Olsson 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

Olsson falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Olsson 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 Olsson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Olsson

The surname Olsson is of Swedish origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is a patronymic name, meaning "son of Olle," with Olle being a Swedish diminutive form of the name Olof or Olav. The name Olav itself is derived from the Old Norse name Áleifr, which consists of the elements "anu" (ancestor) and "leifr" (descendant, heir).

Olsson was a common name among the peasant and farming communities of Sweden, particularly in the central and southern regions. It can be found in various historical records, including parish registers and census rolls from the 16th century onwards.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Olsson can be traced back to the early 15th century, when a man named Olof Olsson is mentioned in the records of the city of Lund, located in the southern province of Skåne.

In the 17th century, the explorer and cartographer, Johan Olsson Grubbe (1624-1708), made significant contributions to the mapping of the Baltic Sea region and served as a naval officer under the Swedish king, Charles XI.

Johan Olsson Lindhagen (1776-1856) was a notable Swedish politician and jurist who served as the Lord Chief Justice of Sweden during the mid-19th century.

Another notable figure was the Swedish writer and playwright, August Olsson (1885-1929), who is best known for his novels and plays depicting the lives of working-class people in Stockholm.

Nils Olsson (1909-1996) was a renowned Swedish-American historian and genealogist, who made significant contributions to the study of Swedish immigration to the United States.

The name Olsson has also been associated with various place names in Sweden, such as Olssons farm (Olssons gård) or Olsson's village (Olssons by), which reflect the widespread use of the name in different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Olsson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Olsson 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. Middlesex leads with 11 Olssons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.30x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 11 2.30x
Durham 9 6.33x
Lincolnshire 6 7.85x
Lancashire 5 0.88x
Surrey 4 1.72x
Cornwall 2 3.70x
Glamorgan 2 2.40x
Gloucestershire 2 2.13x
Kent 2 1.23x
Northumberland 2 2.81x
Renfrewshire 2 5.40x
Angus 1 2.26x
Devon 1 1.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St George In East in Middlesex leads with 6 Olssons recorded in 1881 and an index of 184.62x.

Place Total Index
St George In East 6 184.62x
Battersea 4 22.74x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 44.40x
Louth 4 228.57x
South Shields 4 314.96x
Bristol 2 2222.22x
Great Grimsby 2 41.24x
Greenock East 2 20000.00x
Mile End Old Town 2 26.53x
Milton In Gravesend 2 81.63x
Monkwearmouth Shore 2 71.94x
Penarth 2 246.91x
Poplar London 2 22.17x
St Blazey 2 416.67x
Stranton 2 41.75x
Chatton 1 454.55x
Dundee 1 6.05x
Ilfracombe 1 98.04x
Islington London 1 2.16x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 1250.00x
Sunderland 1 39.84x
Toxteth Park 1 5.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eleanor 2
Alice 1
Alma 1
Annie 1
Britta 1
Harriet 1
Helga 1
Heudla 1
Ica 1
Ida 1
Letitia 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Mathilda 1
Tekla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Carl 2
Johan 2
O. 2
Anders 1
Anton 1
Arvid 1
Augustus 1
Benjamin 1
C.F. 1
Frans 1
Frederick 1
Giries 1
Gustaf 1
J. 1
Jons 1
L. 1
Lars 1
Martin 1
Nikolai 1
Ola 1
Olaf 1
Olof 1
Soren 1
Victor 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 Olsson households.

FAQ

Olsson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Olsson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Olsson surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Olsson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 479 in 2016. That gives Olsson a modern rank of #10,308.

What does the Olsson surname mean?

A patronymic surname of Swedish origin meaning "son of Olof," with Olof being a Scandinavian form of Olav or Olaf.

What does the Olsson map show?

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