65,976 Global OLSEN Family Members

OLSEN Family History

This interesting surname is a patronymic form of the Old Norse personal name "Anleifr", or "Olaf", which is composed of the elements "ans", god and "leifr", a relic. The name was a common Scandinavian one and became popular in Northern Scotland and Ireland, both countries receiving Scandinavian Colonists at an early date. During the Middle Ages, the name continued to enjoy popularity partly as a result of the fame of St. Olaf, King of Norway, who brought Christianity to his country (circa 1015). In the modern idiom the surname has many spellings including Olufsen, Olesen, Ohlsen, Olsson, and Ovesen.