Explore the Family Name Nielsen
The meaning of Nielsen
Danish, Norwegian, and North German: patronymic from the personal name Niels, a shortened form of Nikolaus (see Nicholas). Compare Nielson, Neilsen, Nelsen, Nilsen, and Nilson. Some characteristic forenames: Scandinavian Erik, Niels, Jorgen, Knud, Lars, Nels, Bent, Borge, Holger, Ove, Einer, Oluf.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nielsen in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Nielsen has slightly decreased in rank from 765 in the year 2000 to 810 in 2010, indicating a drop of approximately 5.88%. However, the actual count of individuals with the Nielsen surname surprisingly increased by 4.31% over the same period, rising from 41,007 to 42,773 people. This suggests that even though the ranking fell, the number of people carrying the Nielsen name rose.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #765 | #810 | -5.88% |
| Count | 41,007 | 42,773 | 4.31% |
| Proportion per 100k | 15.2 | 14.5 | -4.61% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nielsen
In terms of ethnicity, Census data shows interesting shifts among those bearing the Nielsen surname between 2000 to 2010. There was a notable increase in the proportion of people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (up by 35.38%) and Hispanic (up by 59.41%). Simultaneously, there was a slight rise in those reporting they were of two or more races or Black. The majority continued to identify as White, but this percentage decreased by 1.55%. The proportion of individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by around 18%, albeit this group represented a small portion of the Nielsen surname bearers.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.63% | 94.15% | -1.55% |
| Hispanic | 1.7% | 2.71% | 59.41% |
| Two or More Races | 1.23% | 1.5% | 21.95% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.65% | 0.88% | 35.38% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.5% | 0.41% | -18% |
| Black | 0.29% | 0.35% | 20.69% |
Nielsen ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Nielsen is British & Irish, which comprises 36.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.2%) and Scandinavian (22.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 36.3% |
| French & German | 24.2% |
| Scandinavian | 22.8% |
| Other | 16.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Nielsen
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Nielsen have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 75.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 75.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 75.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 75.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 75.30% |
What Nielsen haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Nielsen is I-P109, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-P109 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include R-M405 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hansen, Jensen, Christensen, Andersen, Larsen, Rasmussen, Petersen, Peterson, Nelson, Hanson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Nielsen surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170
Your paternal lineage may be linked to many northern European men
If you have haplogroup I1a1b, your paternal line stems from a young branch of I-M253 called I-L22, which likely arose in the last 3,000 years. I-L22 is most common in Northern Europe, but a recent study found that this haplogroup was present in a significant portion of the Partecipanza population living in San Giovanni in Persiceto, Italy. The area of San Giovanni in Persiceto was involved in a migration period in 728 AD, when it became part of the Lombard kingdom, under King Aistulf. San Giovanni in Persiceto was only under Lombard rule for 48 years, after which the Lombards were defeated by King Charlemagne in 776 AD. There are several characteristics of San Giovanni in Persiceto that link it to other Lombard settlements. For instance, some research suggests San Giovanni in Persiceto was the seat of a Lombard Duke between 750 and 800 AD. It is possible that the Lombards who ruled over San Giovanni in Persiceto played an important role in the introduction and growth of haplogroup I-L22 in the region.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Nielsen have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Nielsen" Surname 43.7%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Nielsen" Surname 25.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Nielsen" Surname 20.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Nielsen" Surname 18.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Nielsen?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Nielsen are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition