Nilson: Last Name Origin and Family Crest

Genealogists group Nilson with Nilsen. The name is usually explained as “The son of Nils (champion)”.

Arms associated with the name

A coat of arms belongs to a particular family line rather than to everyone named Nilson, so the heraldry linked to Nilsen is a starting point, not an automatic right.

Spelling and variants

Nilson is listed among the recognised spellings of Nilsen. Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists. Related forms: Nilsson, Neilsen and Nielsen.

According to the 2010 US Census, the Nilson surname had 10,010 bearers. Nilson sounds close to Neilson and Nelson, so it can help to search both. Want more than a summary? See the Nilson family name pack.