Explore the Family Name Olsson
The meaning of Olsson
1. Swedish: patronymic from the personal name Ola, a short form of Olof, Swedish variant of Olaf (see Olafsen), or a shortened form of the patronymic Olofsson (see Olofson). Compare Ohlsson, Oleson, and Olson. 2. German (Eastphalia): patronymic from a short form of the personal name Ulrich. Some characteristic forenames: Scandinavian Lars, Lennart, Sven, Nils, Erik, Mats, Per, Anders, Bjorn, Fredrik, Nels, Olle. German Hans, Kurt, Fritz, Ingeborg, Otto, Ute.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Olsson in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Olsson has experienced a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Olsson was ranked 11,628 in terms of commonality, but this ranking slid to 11,954 by 2010, indicating a decrease of 2.8%. However, the actual count of individuals bearing the surname saw a small increase from 2,476 in 2000 to 2,615 in 2010, marking a growth rate of 5.61%. Even so, the proportion of individuals named Olsson per 100,000 decreased slightly by 3.26% during the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,628 | #11,954 | -2.8% |
| Count | 2,476 | 2,615 | 5.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.92 | 0.89 | -3.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Olsson
On examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Olsson, it's clear that there have been shifts over the decade from 2000 to 2010, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. The most significant increases were seen in those identifying as Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native, with changes of 132.14% and 150.00%, respectively. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also increased by 38.14%. Those identifying as Hispanic saw a modest increase of 5.88%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those identifying as White saw a marginal decrease of 1.12%, while those reporting two or more races declined by 8.03%. Despite these shifts, the majority of individuals with the Olsson surname still identify as White.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.79% | 93.73% | -1.12% |
| Hispanic | 2.38% | 2.52% | 5.88% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.97% | 1.34% | 38.14% |
| Two or More Races | 1.37% | 1.26% | -8.03% |
| Black | 0.28% | 0.65% | 132.14% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.2% | 0.5% | 150% |
Olsson 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 Olsson is Scandinavian, which comprises 41.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (25.0%) and French & German (15.9%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Scandinavian | 41.5% |
| British & Irish | 25.0% |
| French & German | 15.9% |
| Other | 17.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Olsson
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 Olsson have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Sweden, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Vastra Gotaland County, Sweden | 61.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 60.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 60.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 60.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 59.80% |
What Olsson 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 Olsson is R-M405, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-M405 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z284 and I-L205.1, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Eide, Solberg, Evenson, Engstrom, Nilsen, Knudson, Samuelson, Berglund, Fredrickson, Magnuson.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Olsson surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
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 Olsson 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.
"Olsson" Surname 34.3%
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.
"Olsson" Surname 32.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Olsson" Surname 12.2%
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.
"Olsson" Surname 7.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Olsson?
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 Olsson are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition