Olsen Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Olsen last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Olsen coat of arms for you.
Meaning and origin of the Olsen last name
Meaning of the Olsen last name: son of Ole (Olaf). Olsen is a Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Ole", the everyday form of Olaf. Saint Olaf, the Norwegian king, made the first name hugely popular. These names changed every generation until fixed surnames were required in the 1800s. A curious detail: in America this last name is often spelled Olson, and it is especially common in the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest.
Arms associated with the Olsen name
In Scandinavian heraldry a coat of arms usually followed a person or a farm, since names like Olsen changed every generation, and each blazon reflects that custom.
Get your full Olsen family history
This is only a glimpse of the Olsen story. The full Olsen history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Olsen coat of arms. Get the full Olsen report.
Olsen name FAQ
What does the Olsen name mean?
Son of Ole (Olaf). Common variants include Olson, Olesen, Ohlsen.
Where does the Olsen surname come from?
It originates in Denmark, and is also found in the United States and Norway.
Is there a Olsen coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Olsen coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames.