Olsen (surname)
Encyclopedia
Olsen ˈoːˀlsn̩ is a Danish
-Norwegian
patronymic
surname meaning "son of Ole
". The surname Olesen ˈoːləsn has a similar origin. The Swedish
parallel form is Olsson
- "son of Ola". Danish
and Norwegian
immigrants to English
-speaking countries often changed the spelling to Olson
in order to accommodate English orthographic rules
.
Listed below are several persons with this surname:
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
-Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
surname meaning "son of Ole
Ole (name)
Ole is a Danish and Norwegian masculine given name, derived from the Old Norse name Óláfr, meaning "ancestor's descendant".-People named Ole:* Ole Anderson, former wrestler* Ole Barman, Norwegian novelist* Ole Barndorff-Nielsen, Danish mathematician...
". The surname Olesen ˈoːləsn has a similar origin. The Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
parallel form is Olsson
Olsson
Olsson is a common Swedish surname. It is a contraction of the surname Olofsson and it literally means "son of Olof" and seldom also "son of Ola"...
- "son of Ola". Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
and Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
immigrants to English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking countries often changed the spelling to Olson
Olson (surname)
Olson is a common surname of Scandinavian origin that literally means "son of Olof or Ole". Olson may refer to:-Politics and government:* Alec G. Olson , former member of the US House of Representatives from Minnesota...
in order to accommodate English orthographic rules
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Listed below are several persons with this surname:
- Anton OlsenAnton Olsen (U.S. Navy)Ordinary Seaman Anton Olsen was a United States Navy quartermaster who received the Medal of Honor.-Medal of Honor recipients:...
, Spanish-American WarSpanish-American WarThe Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient - Ben OlsenBen OlsenBenjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia...
(born 1977), American soccer player - Eric Christian OlsenEric Christian OlsenEric Christian Olsen is an American actor. He currently portrays Detective Marty Deeks on the CBS television series NCIS: Los Angeles.-Early life:...
(born 1977), American actor - Frances OlsenFrances OlsenFrances Elisabeth Olsen is a professor of law at UCLA and a noted member of the school of Feminist Legal Theory. She teaches Feminist Legal Theory, Dissidence & Law, Family Law, and Torts. Her areas of research interest include legal theory, social change, and feminism.She was born in Chicago,...
(born 1945), American law professor at UCLA, feminist law scholar. - Greg Olsen (disambiguation), multiple people
- John OlsenJohn Olsen (artist)John Henry Olsen, AO, OBE is an Australian artist. Olsen's primary subject of work is landscape.-Biography:John Olsen was born in Newcastle on 21 January 1928 and moved to Bondi Beach with his family in 1935, which began his lifelong fascination with Sydney Harbour...
(born 1928), Australian artist - John OlsenJohn OlsenJohn Wayne Olsen, AO was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001.-Parliament:Olsen was a member of the Liberal Party and Member of Parliament for more than 20 years...
, 42nd Premier of South Australia - Gregory OlsenGregory OlsenGregory Hammond "Greg" Olsen is an American entrepreneur, engineer and scientist who, in October 2005, became the third private citizen to make a self-funded trip to the International Space Station with the company Space Adventures....
(born 1945), American entrepreneur and scientist, space tourist - Ken OlsenKen OlsenKenneth Harry Olsen was an American engineer who co-founded Digital Equipment Corporation in 1957 with colleague Harlan Anderson.-Background:...
(1926-2011), American engineer who co-founded Digital Equipment CorporationDigital Equipment CorporationDigital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s... - Kristoffer OlsenKristoffer OlsenKristoffer Olsen was a Norwegian sailor who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics.He was a crew member of the Norwegian boat Irene, which won the gold medal in the 8 metre class .-External links:*...
, (1883–1948) a Norwegian sailor who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics - Lisa OlsenLisa OlsenLisa Olsen is a Canadian-American skydiver.-Career:Olsen won the Gold Medal in Women's Individual Accuracy at the XIX World Parachuting Championships in Sweden in 1988...
(born 1957 or earlier), Canadian skydiverSkydiverA skydiver is a person who engages in the sport of parachuting. It may also refer to:* SkyDiver a futuristic submarine featured in the TV series UFO* "Skydiver" a carnival ride produced by Chance Morgan... - Mary-Kate and Ashley OlsenMary-Kate and Ashley OlsenMary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen are American actresses and entrepreneurs.Both have appeared in television and films since infancy. Since then, they have continued their celebrity through numerous television programs, films, interviews, as well as commercial endorsements...
(born 1986), American actress twins - Merlin OlsenMerlin OlsenMerlin Jay Olsen was an American football player in the National Football League, NFL commentator, and actor. He played his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 14 of those seasons, a current record shared with Bruce Matthews...
, Hall of Fame NFL American football player and TV color commentatorColor commentatorA color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the... - Michael Olsen (disambiguation), multiple people
- Niels Olsen, original name of Cornelius CruysCornelius CruysCornelius Cruys was a Norwegian-born Vice Admiral of the Imperial Russian Navy and the first commander of the Russian Baltic Fleet.-Early life and career:...
, 17th Century Norwegian-Dutch admiral in the RussianRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
service - Ole Olsen (disambiguation)Ole Olsen (disambiguation)Ole Olsen may refer to:* Ole Andres Olsen , Norwegian-American Seventh-day Adventist leader* Ole Olsen , Norwegian organist, composer, and conductor...
- multiple people - Peder Olsen WalløePeder Olsen WalløePeder Olsen Walløe was a Dano-Norwegian Arctic explorer most noted for his historic exploration of the former Norse settlements on Greenland.-Biography:...
(1716-1793), Danish-Norwegian Arctic explorer - Penelope Diane OlsenPenelope Diane OlsenDr Penelope Diane Olsen is an Australian ornithologist and author. She has worked with CSIRO as an experimental officer and an Honorary Research Associate as well as being an ARC Postdoctoral Fellow at the Australian National University...
, Australian ornithologist and author - Scott OlsenScott OlsenScott Matthew Olsen is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life:Olsen was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan...
(born 1984), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Florida MarlinsFlorida MarlinsThe Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at... - Súni OlsenSúni OlsenSúni Olsen is a Faroese professional football defender who currently plays at Faroese club B36.-Club career:He started his career at Faroese club GÍ Gøta, after a successful season in 2000, in which he scored 13 league goals, moved to Dutch side FC Zwolle in 2001, becoming the second Faroese...
, a Faroese football player - Susan OlsenSusan OlsenSusan Marie Olsen is a former American child television actress and current animal welfare advocate. Olsen is best known for her role as Mike and Carol Brady's youngest daughter, Cindy Brady, on the 1970s television sitcom The Brady Bunch for the full run of the show, from 1969-1974.-Early...
(born 1961), American actress best known as Cindy Brady on The Brady Bunch - Tillie OlsenTillie OlsenTillie Lerner Olsen was an American writer associated with the political turmoil of the 1930s and the first generation of American feminists.-Biography:...
(1912–2007), American writer, feminist, and political activist - Viktor OlsenViktor OlsenViktor Olaf Olsen is a former Norwegian long-distance runner who specialized in the marathon race. He represented Charlottenlunds SK in Trondheim....
(born 1924), Norwegian long-distance runner - Olsen BrothersOlsen BrothersOlsen Brothers are a Danish rock/pop music duo, and are brothers Jørgen and "Noller" Olsen. They formed their first band, The Kids, in 1965. The Kids warmed up for The Kinks in the K.B...
, Danish rock/pop music duo - Olsen (first name?) A controversial 19th century cartographer and Danish nationalist (see Schleswig#Former naming dispute)
Entertainment
- Peggy OlsonPeggy OlsonMargaret "Peggy" Olson is a fictional character in the AMC television series Mad Men, and is portrayed by actress Elisabeth Moss. Initially, Peggy is secretary to Don Draper , creative director of the advertising agency Sterling Cooper. Later, she is promoted to copywriter, the first female writer...
, a prominent fictional character in the AMC television series Mad Men, portrayed by actress Elisabeth MossElisabeth MossElisabeth Singleton Moss is an American actor. Her notable roles include that of Zoey Bartlet, the third and youngest daughter of President Jed Bartlet, on the NBC television series The West Wing , and secretary turned copywriter Peggy Olson on the AMC original series Mad Men .-Early life and...
. - Jimmy OlsenJimmy OlsenJimmy Olsen is a fictional character who appears mainly in DC Comics’ Superman stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Superman and Perry White...
, a fictional character who appears in DC Comics’ Superman stories - Ken C. Olsen, (born 1950), Canadian actor, television host
- Kristoffer Olsen (born 1985), Norwegian actor