The Madsen surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 17,364 people carried this name — #2,083 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 17,000 people counted. That is up 6% from 16,425 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Madsen surname

A common surname originating as a patronymic.

Originally a patronymic from Mads + -sen.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Madsen» (Danish), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 194 people named Madsen live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 156
Mendoza 22
City of Buenos Aires 16

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

57 people named Madsen live in Switzerland.

They live in 9 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 11
Geneva 9
Bern 8
Aargau 6
Basel-Landschaft 6
Vaud 6
Valais 4
Zug 4

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In Poland’s population register

33 people named Madsen have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 127 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 7 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in West Pomeranian.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

West Pomeranian 8
Masovian 6
Pomeranian 6
Subcarpathian 4
Lower Silesian 3
Łódź 3
Greater Poland 3

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 25 people named Madsen.

Most of them — 17 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 4 départements, most often Paris.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 17
Paris 4
Somme 2
Seine-Maritime 1
Yvelines 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

5,311 people named Madsen are counted in Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Norway publishes only surnames with 200 or more bearers. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Norway (2025) 3,746
Sweden (2022) 1,530
Finland (2026) 35

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Statistics Norway (SSB, ssb.no), table 12891, 2025 — CC BY 4.0 · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In print

Madsen in American newspapers,
1908–1937.

Newspaper page from New-York Tribune carrying the name Madsen
New-York Tribune 1908-08-27
Newspaper page from New-York Tribune carrying the name Madsen
New-York Tribune 1919-09-08
Newspaper page from Evening Star carrying the name Madsen
Evening Star 1937-12-19

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 67,808 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Madsen in Australian newspapers,
1860s–1990s.

14,089 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Madsen. The most, 4,953, date from the 1950s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 2.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 9,780
New South Wales 2,257
Victoria 855
Tasmania 533
South Australia 455
ACT (Canberra) 68
Northern Territory 60
Western Australia 44

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Madsen.

Who carried it

People named Madsen,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Andreas Peter Madsen
    Andreas Peter Madsen 1822–1911 · painter
  • Sophie Madsen
    Sophie Madsen 1826–1856 · painter
  • Emil Madsen
    Emil Madsen 1830–1919 · writer
  • Peder Madsen
    Peder Madsen 1843–1911 · presbyter
  • Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen
    Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen 1844–1917 · military personnel

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 222 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Madsen,
in the records of 10 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,256 records

2,256 records of the Madsen name in the United States
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 590
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 506
  • Other U.S. records 1,160
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Fritz M. Madsen

    Born 1912 in Idaho. Enlisted 1943 at San Francisco, California; typesetter. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1962, buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Johanne Madsen

    Arrived at New York in 1893 aboard the Havel from Bremen, aged 24; servant. From Seewang, Germany; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record William Joseph Madsen

    Born 1946; from Chicago, Illinois. U.S. Army, indirect fire infantryman; killed in action 1966 in South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 2,256 records for Madsen in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia392 records

392 records of the Madsen name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 205
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 108
  • Other Australian records 79
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Jacob Peter Madsen

    Died 1922 in Wattle Hill, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1922.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mads H. Madsen

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Wilhelmsburg, aged 28; Danish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Leslie Arthur Madsen

    Died 1981; buried at Gungahlin Cemetery, Canberra, ACT.

    ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 392 records for Madsen in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Germany138 records

138 records of the Madsen name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Christian Madsen

    From Lügumkloster, Tondern. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 28 December 1914 (Infantry Regiment No. 147).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Jörgen Madsen

    From Branderup. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 27 March 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 138 records for Madsen in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Netherlands93 records

93 records of the Madsen name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 53
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 39
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Dina Christina Magdalena Madsen

    Married in 1920 in Amsterdam. Died 1969 in Breda.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Lauritz Madsen

    Died 1827 in Terschelling, aged 50; skipper.

    Open Archives, AlleFriezen (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anton Johan Madsen

    Married in 1939 in Bloemendaal; merchant.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 93 records for Madsen in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada36 records

36 records of the Madsen name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 19
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 10
  • Other Canadian records 7
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Joyce Ellen Madsen

    Buried in 1996 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 58.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Jakob Madsen

    Buried in 1987 at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Adolph Gebhard Madsen

    Died in service in 1916.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 36 records for Madsen in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Norway12 records

12 records of the Madsen name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Isak Madsen

    Census of 1910: Paulus plads, Kristiania; fishmonger, born 1864 in Kragerø.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Amalie Madsen

    Census of 1910: Sletmo, Modum; "skræddersyerske", born 1870 in Modum.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Marius Madsen

    Census of 1910: Tornæs nedre, Frænen; "skrædderlerling", born 1892 in America.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Madsen in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand11 records

11 records of the Madsen name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 7
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary O'Connor Madsen

    Died 1992, aged 80; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Carl Madsen

    Died 1977, aged 90; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ernest Marious Madsen

    Died 1978; buried at Rangiora Lawn Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 11 records for Madsen in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France9 records

9 records of the Madsen name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Erna Rigmor Holm Madsen

    Born 1904 in Denmark; died 1998 in Louveciennes (Yvelines).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Ove Freddy Astrup Madsen

    Born 1937 in Denmark; died 1999 in Montpellier (Hérault).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 9 records for Madsen in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Finland3 records

3 records of the Madsen name in Finland Finland's war dead, 1939–1945
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Arne Leonard Madsen

    Born 1912; carpenter. Died in 1942 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Helsingin mlk.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Mathias Madsén

    Born 1902. Died in 1940 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Oulu.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Madsen in Finland.

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Belgium2 records

2 records of the Madsen name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Fredericus Madsen

    Born 1911 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Madsen in Belgium.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Madsen.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Madsen is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Madsen volume
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