Surname Nilsson - Meaning and Origin

Nilsson: What does the surname Nilsson mean?

The last name Nilsson is of Scandinavian origin and primarily found in Sweden. The name is derived from the archaic Swedish word “Nils”, which was a form of the given name “Nicholas” or “Nils” which means “victor of the people” or “victorious over the people”. In Sweden, the surname Nilsson was common for a long time and was used as a patronymic to identify descendents of the original person.

Nilsson is also a very common last name in Denmark and Norway, where it is pronounced “Nelsson”. It is also popular in other Nordic countries, such as Finland and Iceland. In most countries, the spelling of the name has been anglicized to Nilsen or Nelson.

The surname Nilsson is a reminder of the great power and influence the Vikings had in Scandinavia. It was not uncommon for the Vikings to have multiple children with various women and use the patronymic system in order to ensure paternity and provide a family identity.

Today, people with the Nilsson surname continue to show tremendous determination, strength, and courage, just like their Viking ancestors did centuries before them. They are proud, respected members of their communities, just as those before them.

Nilsson: Where does the name Nilsson come from?

The last name Nilsson is most common today in northern Europe, particularly in Sweden. It is the 8th most common surname in Sweden, where almost 1.2 million people currently bear the name. It is also relatively common in Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland. Outside of northern Europe, Nilsson is a less frequently occurring name; it is mostly seen in U.S. states with high populations of European immigrants, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast.

The Nilsson surname likely originates from the Old Norse word “Níelsson” which derives from “Níel” – an old Scandinavian epic character. The root “Níel” is believed to mean “cloud” or “son of clouds”. This suggests that the Nilsson surname was originally used as a nickname for someone who was either physically tall, like a giant, or had mental prowess that resembled God-like wisdom and understanding.

The Nilsson surname is also popularly used in Sweden as a patronymic name. This means that instead of inheriting the family name of their father, children take on a new version of their father’s name, such as “Nilsson” for a boy and “Nilssdotter” for a girl.

Despite its predominantly Scandinavian roots, the Nilsson surname is also derived from the ancient Germanic name “Nielsen”, just without the “-en” suffix. This accounts for its occasional use outside of Scandinavia. Ultimately, whether you hail from the Nordic countries or America, the Nilsson last name has deep roots that connect us all in some way.

Variations of the surname Nilsson

Nilsson is a surname of Scandinavian origin, and it is found primarily in Sweden and other countries of the region. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include Nilson, Nielsen, Nesson, Nillson, Nilesson, Nellson, Nilssen, Nels, and Nilsen.

Nilsson is derived from the personalized name Nils, which is the Swedish form of the given name Nicholas. Common prefixes and suffixes of Scandinavian surnames were added to it to make the surname. The prefix "Nil" is derived from the Old Norse word "níl" which meant color blue.

Nilsson was the third most common surname in Sweden in 2020. Within Europe, the surname is most prevalent in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, although there are also some instances of the Nilsson family name found in Finland, Germany, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. There are also several Nilsson families located in Canada, South Africa, and the United States.

The Nilsson family is speculated to have first appeared in the region during the 11th century AD when families began to adopt surnames. In ancient times, the Nilsson family was likely to have been of noble lineage, since it is believed that its origin is closely-linked to Norse mythology. The first recorded spelling of the surname is found in Sweden, in 1166 when a farmer named "Nils Olsson" was recorded.

Today, the Nilsson surname is still widespread throughout Scandinavia and other parts of the world. As a spelling variant, it is frequently seen as “Nilson” or “Nelson”. In addition, the prefix “Ni” or “Ne” is seen attached to many other surnames that evolved by adding an extra letter to the Nilsson variant, such as Nilsen, Niels, Nielsen, Nisson, etc.

Famous people with the name Nilsson

• Harry Nilsson: a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and composer who was a prolific artist in the late 1960s and 1970s.
• Rasmus Nilsson: a Swedish professional ice hockey player who competes in the Swedish Hockey League.
• Gunnar Nilsson: a Swedish Formula One driver who competed during the late 70s and early 80s.
• Sven Nilsson: a Swedish naturalist, zoologist and professor of zoology in Lund during the 19th century.
• Mikael Nilsson: a Swedish professional football player who plays for IFK Göteborg in the Swedish top tier.
• Maja Nilsson: a Swedish political personality best known as the leader of the centrist Liberal Party in Sweden.
• Erik Nilsson: a Swedish politician and member of the Centre Party, a member of the Swedish Riksdag (parliament).
• Max Nilsson: a Swedish handball player who is part of the Swedish national team and won a silver medal at the 2008 European Men's Handball Championship.
• Isabella Nilsson: a Swedish-Brazilian tennis player who has competed in Grand Slam tournaments and ITF tournaments.
• Emma Nilsson: a Swedish professional ice hockey player who competes for the Linköping HC Dam of the Swedish Women's Hockey League

Other surnames

Nilssen