The Nilsen surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,158 people carried this name — #7,956 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 70,900 people counted. That is up 8% from 3,860 in 2000.

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In Switzerland’s population statistics

22 people named Nilsen live in Switzerland.

They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zug.

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

Where they live today

Zug 9
Aargau 5
Bern 5
Basel-Stadt 3

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 the Nordic population registers

33,017 people named Nilsen 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) 31,657
Sweden (2022) 1,228
Finland (2026) 132

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

Nilsen in American newspapers,
1910–1917.

Newspaper page from Der Deutsche Correspondent carrying the name Nilsen
Der Deutsche Correspondent 1915-12-05
Newspaper page from The Madison Daily Leader carrying the name Nilsen
The Madison Daily Leader 1917-04-10
Newspaper page from The Searchlight carrying the name Nilsen
The Searchlight 1910-07-01

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 8,936 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Nilsen in Australian newspapers,
1870s–1980s.

1,468 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Nilsen. The most, 355, date from the 1940s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 2.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 424
Queensland 308
New South Wales 288
Tasmania 167
Western Australia 119
South Australia 117
ACT (Canberra) 36

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

Who carried it

People named Nilsen,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Einer Nilsson Nilsen 1638–1727
  • Johan Nilsen 1720–1764
  • Nils Christian Nilsen 1773–1842 · politician
  • Nils Christian Nilsen 1773–1842 · politician
  • Jan Roland Nilsen 1787–1841 · politician
  • Peter Nilsen 1802–

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Nilsen,
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 States2,605 records

2,605 records of the Nilsen name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,011
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 901
  • Other U.S. records 693
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ralph M. Nilsen

    Born 1916 in Spitzbergen. Enlisted 1943 at New York City; longshoreman from Kings County, New York. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1978, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    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 Sofia Nilsen

    Arrived at New York in 1886 aboard the City of Chester from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 22; servant. From St. Peterburg, Russia; 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 Eric Bjarne Nilsen

    Born 1945; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam.

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

Showing 3 of 2,605 records for Nilsen in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · 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) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (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).

Norway107 records

107 records of the Nilsen name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Haslund Hans Nilsen

    Census of 1910: Fornes, Ibbestad; fisherman and farmer, born 1884 in Ibbestad.

    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 Olga Nilsen

    Census of 1910: Malmø Store Elvegate, Mandal; maidservant, born 1893 in Halsaa sogn.

    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 Beret Nilsen

    Census of 1910: Strømsøien (plads), Lille Elvedalen; "pladskone", born 1855 in Lille Elvedalen.

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

Showing 3 of 107 records for Nilsen 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).

Australia107 records

107 records of the Nilsen name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 45
  • Tasmanian Names Index 21
  • Other Australian records 41
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Andrias Nilsen

    Naturalised in Tasmania in 1901; miner of Zeehan, born in Bergen, Norway.

    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 Albert E. Nilsen

    Arrived in Queensland in 1929 aboard the Orsova, aged 38.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Ole Nilsen

    Seaman of Fitzroy, Victoria; died 1884.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 107 records for Nilsen in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands77 records

77 records of the Nilsen name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 38
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 32
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 7
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Bertha Nilsen

    Born 1874 in Rotterdam. Married in 1898 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Wilhelmina Henriette Nilsen

    Born 1910 in Nijmegen. Died 1910 in Almelo.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johannes Nilsen

    Born 1877 in Rotterdam. Married in 1907 in Breda. Died 1915 in Utrecht, aged 38.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 77 records for Nilsen 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).

Canada21 records

21 records of the Nilsen name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 9
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 6
  • Other Canadian records 6
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Jean Ann Nilsen

    Buried in 1987 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 97.

    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 Nellie Nilsen

    Died 1968; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Axel Nilsen

    Died 1959; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.

Showing 3 of 21 records for Nilsen in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · 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. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Germany7 records

7 records of the Nilsen 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 Helmuth Nilsen

    From Gr. Ballerstedt, Osterburg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 2 November 1916 (Infantry Regiment No. 66).

    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 Heinrich Nilsen

    From Hamburg. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 21 October 1918.

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

Showing 2 of 7 records for Nilsen 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).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Nilsen name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 4
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Edith Nilsen

    Died 1971, aged 50; buried at Omaka 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 Grace Mary Nilsen

    Died 1890, aged 36; buried at Lyttelton Anglican Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Nilsen in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough 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).

France2 records

2 records of the Nilsen 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 Amelie Henriette Nilsen

    Born 1897 in Le Bouscat (Gironde); died 1985 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Nilsen 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).

United Kingdom1 record

1 record of the Nilsen name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Nilsen

    East Lancashire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Finland1 record

1 record of the Nilsen 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 Arvo Tapani Nilsen

    Born 1920 in Ilomantsi; labourer. Died in 1944 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Ilomantsi.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Nilsen.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Nilsen 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.

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