Olsen (surname)


Olsen is a Danish-Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Ole". The surname Olesen has a similar origin. The Swedish parallel form is Olsson – "son of Ole". Danish and Norwegian immigrants to English-speaking countries often changed the spelling to Olson in order to accommodate English orthographic rules.
Notable people with the surname include:

A–K

  • Aase Olesen, Danish politician
  • Andrea Olsen, American politician
  • Angel Olsen, American singer
  • Annelise Damm Olesen, Danish retired middle-distance runner
  • Anton Olsen , Spanish–American War Medal of Honor recipient
  • Ben Olsen, American soccer player
  • Bjørk Herup Olsen, Faroese athlete
  • Bjørnar Olsen, Norwegian archaeologist
  • Brad Olsen, New Zealand economist
  • Brian Olsen, American mixed martial artist
  • Carsten Olsen, Danish plant ecologist and physiologist
  • Charles Olsen, American poet renowned for his provocative style and large body of works
  • Dorothy Olsen, American aircraft pilot and member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots
  • Elizabeth Olsen, American actress
  • Eric Christian Olsen, American actor
  • Eunice Olsen, Singaporean actress and model
  • Frances Olsen, American law professor at UCLA, feminist law scholar.
  • Frederik-Valdemar Olsen, Danish soldier, commander in chief of the Belgian Congo Force Publique
  • Gary Olsen, English actor
  • Georg Olsen, Danish runner
  • Greg Olsen, multiple people
  • Gregory Olsen, American entrepreneur and scientist, space tourist
  • Harold Olsen, American college sports coach
  • Helle Olsen, better known as Helle Helle, Danish writer born 1965
  • Hilde Gunn Olsen, Norwegian footballer
  • Inger Pors Olsen, Danish rower
  • Jens Olsen, Danish clockmaker and locksmith
  • John Olsen, Australian artist
  • John Olsen, 42nd Premier of South Australia
  • John Olsen Hammerstad, Norwegian born, American painter
  • José María Figueres Olsen, 42nd President of Costa Rica
  • Karen Olsen Beck, Danish American-Costa Rican diplomat and politician
  • Ken Olsen, American engineer, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corporation
  • Kirsten Olesen, Danish actress
  • Kjeld Olesen, Danish politician
  • Kristoffer Olsen, a Norwegian sailor who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics
  • Kurt Olsen, American attorney who worked on efforts to overturn 2020 election

    L–Z

  • Larry Olsen, multiple people
  • Lisa Olsen, Canadian skydiver
  • Lucy Olsen, American basketball player
  • Mads Olsen, Danish politician
  • Maria Olsen, South African film producer
  • Maria Olsen, New Zealand artist
  • Martin Olsen, multiple people
  • Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, American actress twins
  • Merlin Olsen, Hall of Fame NFL American football player and TV color commentator
  • Michael Olsen, multiple people
  • Moroni Olsen, American actor
  • Niels Olsen, original name of Cornelius Cruys, 17th century Norwegian-Dutch admiral in Russian service
  • Niels Olsen Peet , Ecuadorian politician
  • Norman Eugene Olsen was an American football tackle
  • Ole Olsen, multiple people
  • Ollie Olsen, Australian-based multi-instrumentalist, composer and sound designer.
  • Peder Olsen Walløe, Danish-Norwegian Arctic explorer
  • Penelope Diane Olsen, Australian ornithologist and author
  • Peter B. Olsen, American politician
  • Poppy Starr Olsen, Australian skateboarder
  • Qupanuk Olsen, Greenlandic YouTuber, content creator, and engineer
  • Robin Olsen,, Swedish football goalkeeper
  • Sally Olsen , Norwegian-born American social worker and missionary
  • Sally Olsen , American lawyer and politician
  • Scott Olsen, American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Florida Marlins
  • Søren Olesen, Danish teacher and politician
  • Súni Olsen, a Faroese football player
  • Susan Olsen, American actress best known as Cindy Brady on The Brady Bunch
  • Tava Olsen, New Zealand professor in supply chain management
  • Thomas Olsen, better known as Tommy Trash, Australian EDM producer and DJ
  • Tillie Olsen, American writer, feminist, and political activist
  • Urania Marquard Olsen, Danish-Norwegian actress and theatre director
  • Viktor Olsen, Norwegian long-distance runner
  • Olsen Brothers, Danish rock/pop music duo

    Fictional characters with the surname include

  • Jimmy Olsen, a fictional character who appears in DC Comics' Superman stories
  • Tulip Olsen, the main character in Book One of the animated anthology series ''Infinity Train''