Nielsen () is a Danish

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, alt ...

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

, literally meaning ''son of Niels'',

Niels Niels is a male given name, equivalent to Nicholas, which is common in Denmark, Belgium, Norway (formerly) and the Netherlands. The Norwegian and Swedish variant is Nils. The name is a developed short form of Nicholas or Greek Nicolaos after Saint ...

being the Danish version of the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

male given name Νικόλαος, Nikolaos (

cf. The abbreviation ''cf.'' (short for the la, confer/conferatur, both meaning "compare") is used in writing to refer the reader to other material to make a comparison with the topic being discussed. Style guides recommend that ''cf.'' be used onl ...

Nicholas Nicholas is a male given name and a surname. The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglican Churches celebrate Saint Nicholas every year on December 6, which is the name day for "Nicholas". In Greece, the name and its ...

). It is the most common

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

, shared by about 5% of the population. It is also used in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...

, although the forms ''Nelsen'' and ''Nilsen'' are more common. In Sweden the parallel form is '' Nilsson''. ''Nielsen'' is also in use in the

Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...

. The frequent occurrence of Nielsen as a

outside

University of Copenhagen - Name Research Section
/ref> is due to

emigration Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanent ...

. Immigrants to

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

-speaking countries sometimes changed the spelling to

Nielson Nielson is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Claire Nielson (born 1937), British television actress *Howard C. Nielson (born 1924), American politician from Utah; U.S. Representative 1983–91 * Niel Nielson (born 1954), America ...

, Nelsen,

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

, Neilson, or Neilsen.

People

Achintya Holte Nilsen Achintya Holte Nilsen (born 1 January 1999) is an Indonesian model who was crowned Miss Indonesia 2017. She represented Indonesia at the Miss World 2017 pageant and finished as Top 10 finalists, won ''"Beauty with a Purpose"'', ''" Miss World ...

(born 1999), Miss World Indonesia 2017 *

Alice Nielsen Alice Nielsen (June 7, 1872 – March 8, 1943) was a Broadway performer and operatic soprano who had her own opera company and starred in several Victor Herbert operettas. Background Her father, Rasmus, was a Danish troubadour from Aarhus. Her m ...

(1872–1943), American singer *

Allan Nielsen Allan Nielsen (born 13 March 1971) is a Danish former professional footballer whose most notable period of football was four years at English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur with whom he won the 1999 League Cup, scoring the winning goal ...

(born 1971), Danish football player *

Amaldus Nielsen Amaldus Clarin Nielsen (23 May 1838 – 10 December 1932) was a Norwegian painter. Early life He was born in Halse as a son of shipmaster and merchant Niels Clemetsen Nielsen (1795–1845) and his wife Andrea Marie Møller (1802–1866). He gr ...

(1838–1932), Norwegian painter * Anders Christian Nielsen Also known as A. C. Nielsen (1848–1929) Junction City, Oregon, Danish community founder *

Anders Peter Nielsen Anders Peter Nielsen (25 May 1867 – 16 April 1950) was a Danish sport shooter who competed in the late 19th century and early 20th century in rifle shooting. He participated in Shooting at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris and won three silver ...

(1867–1950), Danish shooter *

Arthur Nielsen Arthur Charles Nielsen Sr. (September 5, 1897 – June 1, 1980) was an American businessman, electrical engineer and market research analyst who created and tracked the Nielsen ratings for television as founder of the A.C. Nielsen Company. Backg ...

(1897–1980), American market analyst *

Asta Nielsen The General Students' Committee (German: Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss) or AStA, is the acting executive board and the external representing agency of the (constituted) student body at universities in most German states. It is therefore consid ...

(1881–1972), Danish actress *

August Nielsen August Bendix Christofer Nielsen (7 May 1877 – 21 February 1956) was a Norwegian architect. August Nielsen was born in the village of Vik at Sømna in Nordland, Norway. He was a son of politician Sivert Nielsen (1823–1904) and Jonethe Corn ...

(1877–1956), Norwegian architect *

Axel Nielsen (chess player) Axel Jørgen Nielsen (9 January 1914 – 16 September 2004), was a Danish chess player, and six-times Danish Chess Championship medalist (1944, 1946, 1948, 1954, 1955, 1959). Biography From the end to 1940s to the early 1960s Axel Nielsen was o ...

(1914–2004), Danish chess master * Benny Nielsen (born 1966), Danish swimmer * Benny Nielsen (born 1951), Danish former footballer *

Brigitte Nielsen Brigitte Nielsen (; born Gitte Nielsen; 15 July 1963) is a Danish actress, model, and singer. She began her career modelling for Greg Gorman and Helmut Newton. She subsequently acted in the 1985 films ''Red Sonja'' and ''Rocky IV'', later retu ...

(born 1963), Danish actress *

Carl Nielsen Carl August Nielsen (; 9 June 1865 – 3 October 1931) was a Danish composer, conductor and violinist, widely recognized as his country's most prominent composer. Brought up by poor yet musically talented parents on the island of Funen, he ...

(1865–1931), Danish composer *

Christopher Nielsen Christopher Nielsen (born 20 April 1963 in Oslo) is a Norwegian comics artist. He is especially known for his subcultural depictions. Nielsen got his first comics printed in 1980 after entering a competition in the Norwegian anarchist magazin ...

(born 1963), Norwegian comics artist * Claus Nielsen (born 1964), Danish former footballer * Claus Børge Nielsen (born 1961), Danish boxer *

Connie Nielsen Connie Inge-Lise Nielsen (born 3 July 1965) is a Danish actress. She has starred as Lucilla in the film ''Gladiator'' (2000) and as Hippolyta in the DC Extended Universe, and in the films ''Wonder Woman'' (2017), '' Justice League'' (2017), '' ...

(born 1965), Danish actress * Dane Nielsen, Australian rugby league footballer *

David Nielsen David Jean Nielsen (born 1 December 1976) is a Danish former professional footballer and manager. He played for a number of Danish clubs, as well as Fortuna Düsseldorf in Germany and English clubs Grimsby Town, Wimbledon and Norwich City. His ...

(born 1976), Danish footballer *

Ebbe Nielsen Ebbe Schmidt Nielsen (7 June 1950 – 7 March 2001) was a Danish entomologist influential in systematics and Lepidoptera research, and an early proponent of biodiversity informatics. The journal ''Invertebrate Systematics'' was established with si ...

(1950–2001), Danish entomologist *

Erik Charles Nielsen Erik Charles Nielsen (born May 8, 1981) is an American actor and comedian. Early life Nielsen was born in West Sayville, New York. He is of Danish descent. Nielsen graduated from Palm Bay High School in 1999. While attending Boston University, ...

(born 1981), American actor and comedian *

Erik Nielsen Erik Hersholt Nielsen (February 24, 1924 – September 4, 2008) was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the longtime Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Yukon, and was Leader of the Opposition and the third deputy pr ...

(1924–2008), former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, brother of Leslie * E. Verner Nielsen (1899–1981), Danish chess master *

Frans Nielsen Frans Nielsen (born 24 April 1984) is a Danish former professional ice hockey Forward who played with the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League (NHL). Nielsen was the first Danish citizen to play in the NHL. ...

(born 1984), Danish Ice Hockey player *

Frederik Nielsen Frederik Løchte Nielsen (born 27 August 1983) is a former professional tennis player. He was the top ranked player from Denmark in the ATP doubles world rankings. A former Wimbledon men's doubles champion, he peaked at no. 17 in the rankin ...

(born 1983), Danish tennis player * Frida Sanggaard Nielsen (born 1998), Danish rower *

Gunnar Nielsen (athlete) Niels Gunnar Nielsen (25 March 1928 – 29 May 1985) was a Danish middle distance runner who equalled the world record over both 880 yards and 1500 metres. He represented the Østerbro-based club Københavns Idræts Forening throughout ...

(1928–1985), Danish athlete. Former world record holder over 1500 metres. * Gunnar Nielsen (footballer born 1986), Faroese football player *

Gunnar Guillermo Nielsen Gunnar Guillermo Nielsen (; born 12 October 1983 in Posadas, Misiones) is an Argentina, Argentine football player of Danes, Danish descent, currently playing for Hillerød GI. He previously represented FC Fredericia and Kolding FC. Notes

...

, Argentine football player *

Hans Nielsen (disambiguation) Hans Nielsen may refer to: * Hans Nielsen (American football) (born 1952), Denmark football player * Hans Nielsen (composer) (1580–1626), Danish madrigal composer at the court of Christian IV * Hans Nielsen (actor) (1911–1965), German actor * ...

, multiple people *

Harald Nielsen Harald Ingemann Nielsen (26 October 1941 – 11 August 2015) was a Danish footballer who played as a forward. He played professionally for Italian club Bologna F.C. where he was the league top scorer (''capocannoniere'') in Bologna's 1964 Ser ...

(1941-2015) former Danish footballer * Hartvig Nielsen (1908-unknown), Danish chess player * Håvard Nielsen (born 1993), Norwegian footballer *

Henry Nielsen (actor) Henry Nielsen (1 November 1890 – 12 May 1967) was a Danish stage and film actor. Selected filmography *'' Dødsbokseren'' - 1926 *'' Kys, klap og kommers'' - 1929 *'' Hallo, Afrika forude'' - 1929 *'' Krudt med knald'' - 1931 *''Han, hun ...

(1890–1967), Danish actor *

Henry Nielsen (athlete) Holger Henry Nielsen (2 October 1910 – 18 November 1969) was a Danish middle- and long-distance runner. Nielsen held the 3000 m world record from 1934 to 1936 and placed third in men's 10,000 metres at the 1934 European Championships. Career ...

(1910–1969), Danish runner *

Holger Nielsen Holger Louis Nielsen (18 December 1866 in Copenhagen – 26 January 1955 in Hellerup) was a Danish fencer, sport shooter, and athlete. He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. He is probably best known for drawing up the firs ...

(1866–1955), Danish Olympic competitor in various sports *

Holger Bech Nielsen Holger Bech Nielsen (born 25 August 1941) is a Danish theoretical physicist and professor emeritus at the Niels Bohr Institute, at the University of Copenhagen, where he started studying physics in 1961. Work Nielsen has made original contribut ...

(born 1941), Danish theoretical physicist * Inga Nielsen (1946–2008), Danish singer (soprano) *

Jacob Stolt-Nielsen Jacob Stolt-Nielsen Jr. (12 May 1931 – 15 February 2015) was a Norwegian entrepreneur. The founder of Stolt-Nielsen Limited, he is widely credited as the creator of the parcel tanker concept. He also pioneered and built successful businesses in ...

Jr. (1931–2015), Norwegian entrepreneur *

Jakob Nielsen Jacob or Jakob Nielsen may refer to: * Jacob Nielsen, Count of Halland (died c. 1309), great grandson of Valdemar II of Denmark * , Norway (1768-1822) * Jakob Nielsen (mathematician) (1890–1959), Danish mathematician known for work on automorphis ...

(born 1957), Danish-American usability consultant *

(1890–1959), Danish mathematician *

Jennifer A. Nielsen Jennifer Anne Nielsen (born July 10, 1971) is an American author known primarily for young adult fiction. Her works include the ''Ascendance Series'', ''Behind Enemy Lines'' (one of the books in the Infinity Ring series), ''The Mark of the Thie ...

(born 1971), American author *

Jeppe Nielsen Jeppe Bøje Nielsen (born 7 March 1974) is a former freestyle swimmer from Denmark, who competed for his native country at the 2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as S ...

(born 1974), Danish freestyle swimmer *

Jerri Nielsen Jerri Lin Nielsen ( Cahill; March 1, 1952 – June 23, 2009) was an American physician with extensive emergency room experience, who self-treated her breast cancer while stationed at Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica until she ...

(1952–2009), American physician *

Jimmy Nielsen Jimmy Nielsen (born 6 August 1977) is a Danish-American retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Until June 2007, he played 398 games for Danish team AaB Fodbold. Playing every league match for AaB since 1997, Nielsen won the 1999 Danish ...

(born 1977), Danish footballer *

Joachim Nielsen Joachim Nielsen (8 September 1964 – 17 October 2000), better known as Jokke, was a Norwegian rock musician and poet. He was the frontman of Norwegian rock band Jokke & Valentinerne, the brother of cartoonist Christopher Nielsen, and son of the ...

(1964–2000; better known as Jokke), Norwegian rock musician and poet * John Nielsen (disambiguation), multiple people * Jonatan Nielsen (born 1993), Swedish professional ice hockey *

Juanita Nielsen Juanita Joan Nielsen (; 22 April 1937 – disappeared 4 July 1975) was an Australian homicide victim, who was a newspaper owner, publisher and journalist, a model, businesswoman, urban conservationist, and heiress. She was notable for her advo ...

(1937–1975), Australian publisher * Julius Nielsen (1901–1981), Danish chess master * Kay Nielsen (1886–1957), Danish "golden age" illustrator * Kai Nielsen (1882–1924), Danish sculptor *

Kai Nielsen (disambiguation) Kai Nielsen is the name of: * Kai Nielsen (footballer) * Kaj Nielsen (footballer) * Kai Nielsen (sculptor) (1882–1924), Danish sculptor * Kai Nielsen (philosopher) (1926–2021), American, Canada-based professor of philosophy * Sixten Kai Nie ...

, multiple people * Kai Peter Anthon Nielsen (1906–1988), better known as

Kai Ewans Kai Peter Anthon Ewans (né Nielsen; April 10, 1906 – April 4, 1988) was a Danish-American jazz reedist. Ewans was born in Hørsholm, Denmark. He played initially as a banjoist, but switched to saxophone in 1923 when he formed the Blues Jazz Ban ...

was a Danish

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

musician *

Kirstjen Nielsen Kirstjen Michele Nielsen (; born May 14, 1972) is an American attorney who served as United States Secretary of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2019. She is a former principal White House deputy chief of staff to President Donald Trump, and was ...

(born 1972), American government official, former

White House Deputy Chief of Staff The White House deputy chief of staff is officially the top aide to the White House chief of staff, who is the senior aide to the president of the United States. The deputy chief of staff usually has an office in the West Wing and is responsible ...

, and

United States Secretary of Homeland Security The United States secretary of homeland security is the head of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the federal department tasked with ensuring public safety in the United States. The secretary is a member of the Cabinet of th ...

Kurt Nielsen Kurt Nielsen (19 November 1930 – 11 June 2011) was a Danish tennis player. He was born in Copenhagen, and was the first Danish tennis player ever to have played in a men's singles final in a Grand Slam tournament. Nielsen reached the singl ...

(1930–2011), Danish former tennis player * Laviai Nielsen (born 1996), British athlete *

Leslie Nielsen Leslie William Nielsen (11 February 192628 November 2010) was a Canadian actor and comedian. With a career spanning 60 years, he appeared in more than 100 films and 150 television programs, portraying more than 220 characters. Nielsen was bo ...

(1926–2010), Canadian-born American film actor *

Lone Drøscher Nielsen Lone Drøscher Nielsen (born 1964) is a Danish wildlife conservationist who established the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project in Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia in 1998. Early life and work She was born and grew up in Aabybro, Denmark. ...

(born 1964), Danish wildlife conservationist *

Ludolf Nielsen Karl Henrik Ludolf Nielsen (29 January 1876 – 16 October 1939) was a Danish composer, violinist, conductor, and pianist. Today he is considered one of the most important Danish composers of the early 1900s (together with the more famous Carl N ...

(1876–1939), Danish composer, violinist, conductor and pianist * Maria Nielsen (1882–1931), Danish historian and gymnasium headmistress *

Matthew Nielsen Matthew Peter Nielsen (born 3 February 1978) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player who currently serves as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He served as an as ...

(born 1978), former Australian basketball player * Michael Nielsen (born 1974), Australian-American quantum physicist and science writer * Nicolai Niels Nielsen (1777–1854), Norwegian priest and politician * Niels Nielsen (disambiguation), multiple people * Niels G. Stolt-Nielsen (born 1965), Norwegian business leader *

Nielsine Nielsen Nielsine Nielsen (10 June 1850 – 8 October 1916) was the first female academic and physician in Denmark. She graduated in 1885 and in 1889 she established her own medical practice and worked as a general practitioner. She was active in the gend ...

(1850-1916), the first female academic and physician in Denmark * Norm Nielsen (1934-2020), American magician and businessman * Olivia Nielsen (1852–1910), Danish trade unionist and politician * Otto Nielsen (1909–1982), Norwegian songwriter, revue writer, cabaret singer and radio personality * Palle Nielsen (chess player) (1929–1987), Danish chess master * Preben Nielsen, Danish wheelchair curler *

Renata Nielsen Renata Pytelewska-Nielsen is a Polish-born former Danish long jumper. She was born on 18. May 1966 in Otwock, Mazowieckie, Poland. She participated in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. Her personal long jump record is 6.96 meter set in 19 ...

(born 1966), Danish long jumper * Richard Nielsen (disambiguation), multiple people *

Rick Nielsen Richard Alan Nielsen (born December 22, 1948) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist, primary songwriter, and leader of the rock band Cheap Trick. He is well-known for his numerous custom-made guitars from Hamer Guitars, incl ...

, lead guitarist of the American rock band Cheap Trick *

Roy Nielsen Roy Nielsen (27 March 1916 – 4 April 1945) was a Norwegian resistance member during World War II, a member of Milorg and involved in propaganda and sabotage. Among his sabotage operations was the destruction of 25 Messerschmitt fighter ai ...

(1916–1945), Norwegian resistance member during World War II *

Sanna Nielsen Sanna Viktoria Nielsen (born 27 November 1984) is a Swedish singer and television presenter. On her seventh attempt, she won Melodifestivalen in 2014 with the song "Undo" and so represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenh ...

(born 1984), Swedish-born singer *

Signe Nielsen Signe Nielsen is a landscape architect and a founding principal at Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects in New York City, US. She is also a professor of urban design and landscape architecture at Pratt Institute and an active participant in Ne ...

, American landscape architect * Skylar Nielsen (born 1975), American film director * Stephanie Risdal Nielsen (born 1991), Danish curler * Tom Nielsen, Danish curler * Tove Nielsen (born 1941), Danish politician * Valdemar Nielsen (1879–1954), Danish Olympic cyclist * Walter M. Nielsen (1900–1981), American physicist * Yngvar Nielsen (1843–1916), Norwegian historian

References

{{Authority control Danish-language surnames Patronymic surnames Surnames from given names

People

See also

References