The Paulsen surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,243 people carried this name — #3,211 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 26,200 people counted. That is up 1% from 11,121 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Paulsen surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

Originally a patronymic from Paul + -sen.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Paulsen» (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 89 people named Paulsen 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.

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

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 89

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

In Switzerland’s population statistics

52 people named Paulsen live in Switzerland.

They live in 8 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 17
Aargau 8
Vaud 7
Valais 7
Geneva 4
Graubünden 3
St. Gallen 3
Zug 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

8,451 people named Paulsen 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) 7,899
Sweden (2022) 521
Finland (2026) 31

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

Paulsen in American newspapers,
1887–1899.

Newspaper page from The Wilmington Daily Republican carrying the name Paulsen
The Wilmington Daily Republican 1899-08-03
Newspaper page from Süd Dakota Nachrichten carrying the name Paulsen
Süd Dakota Nachrichten 1899-03-23
Newspaper page from Semi-weekly Interior Journal carrying the name Paulsen
Semi-weekly Interior Journal 1887-09-20

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 38,611 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Paulsen in Australian newspapers,
1850s–1990s.

2,813 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Paulsen. The most, 566, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 2.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 1,444
Victoria 601
New South Wales 436
Western Australia 215
South Australia 57
Tasmania 37
ACT (Canberra) 10
Northern Territory 1

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

Who carried it

People named Paulsen,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Mathias von Paulsen d. 1710 · naval officer
  • Hans Paulsen d. 1531
  • Michael Paulsen d. 1675
  • Anders Paulsen 1600–1692
  • Ola Paulsen Foss 1629–1666
  • Paulus Pieterszen 1632–1702 · immigrant

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

In the public record

People named Paulsen,
in the records of 9 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 States2,698 records

2,698 records of the Paulsen name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 1,188
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 510
  • Other U.S. records 1,000
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record John H. Paulsen

    Born 1923 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at New York City; toolmaker from Kings County. 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 Dora Paulsen

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Graf Waldersee from Boulogne, aged 40; governess. From South Orange, Germany.

    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 Lawrence Edward Paulsen

    Born 1948; from St Paul, Minnesota. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Kontum, South Vietnam.

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

Showing 3 of 2,698 records for Paulsen in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · 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, 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) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (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).

Germany915 records

915 records of the Paulsen 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 Hans Paulsen

    Born 1896; from Nindorf, Rendsburg. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 3 December 1918 (Infantry Regiment No. 142).

    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 Claus Paulsen

    Born 1879; from Jundorf, Stade. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 4 January 1917.

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

    From Bredewatt. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 5 February 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 915 records for Paulsen 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).

Netherlands464 records

464 records of the Paulsen name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 265
  • Dutch population registers 103
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 96
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Martin Paulsen

    Married in 1870 in Velsen; seaman. Died 1903 in Rotterdam, aged 64.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Gesina Paulina Johanna Paulsen

    Married in 1939 in Apeldoorn. Died 1945 in Apeldoorn, aged 68.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Ludovicus Paulsen

    Born 1829 in Echt. Died 1874 in Echt (Echterbosch), aged 45.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 464 records for Paulsen 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).

Australia171 records

171 records of the Paulsen name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 81
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 65
  • Other Australian records 25
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Nels Paulsen

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the Joseph Tarratt, aged 19; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Ellen Paulsen

    Gentlewoman of Upper Hawthorn, Victoria; died 1982.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Arthur Wylie Paulsen

    NSW railway employee; served in the First World War with the First Railway Section (AIF).

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 171 records for Paulsen in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Norway18 records

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

    Census of 1910: Majorstuveien, Kristiania; ship's mate, born 1880 in Porsgrund.

    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 Margit Paulsen

    Census of 1910: Nygaard, Hitterdal; of independent means, born 1840 in Hjardal.

    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 Elen Paulsen

    Census of 1910: Storbugt pr. Honningsvaag S, Kjelvik; maidservant, born 1869 in Tana.

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

Showing 3 of 18 records for Paulsen 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).

Canada14 records

14 records of the Paulsen name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 5
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 4
  • Other Canadian records 5
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Grace Mary Paulsen

    Buried in 1961 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 53.

    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 Bernard Paulsen

    Died 1945; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

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

Showing 2 of 14 records for Paulsen in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand8 records

8 records of the Paulsen name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 7
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Desmond Paulsen

    Died 1989, aged 65; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lawrence William James Paulsen

    Died 1996, aged 64; buried at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 8 records for Paulsen in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel 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).

France3 records

3 records of the Paulsen 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 Jeanne Zoe Berthe Paulsen

    Born 1896 in Paris; died 1984 in Meaux (Seine-et-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Wilfried Jorn Paulsen

    Born 1951 in Germany; died 1998 in Montpellier (Hérault).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Paulsen 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).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Paulsen name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anna Gerardina Paulsen

    Married in 1839 in Tongeren.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Tongeren (CC BY 4.0)

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Paulsen.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Paulsen 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 Paulsen volume
Scroll to Top