History of your Surname
Get access to Tollefsen family records.Start a free trial

Tollefsen Family History

Tollefsen Name Meaning

Norwegian: patronymic from the personal name Tollef a variant of Torleiv from Old Norse Thorleifr formed with Thórr the name of the Scandinavian god of thunder (see Thor ) + leifr ‘heir descendant’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Tellefsen, Torgersen, Tolleson, Ellefsen, Tollefsrud, Tonnesen, Toles

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Tollefsen family from?

You can see how Tollefsen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tollefsen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Tollefsen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 2 Tollefsen families living in London. This was about 67% of all the recorded Tollefsen's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Tollefsen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tollefsen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Tollefsen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Painter and Operator were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Tollefsen. 18% of Tollefsen men worked as a Painter and 50% of Tollefsen women worked as an Operator. Some less common occupations for Americans named Tollefsen were Fisherman and Cook. .

View Census Data for Tollefsen | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Painter
    18%
  • Manager
    12%
  • Carpenter
    12%
  • Fisherman
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Operator
    50%
  • Cook
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Tollefsen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Tollefsen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tollefsen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tollefsen

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Tollefsen. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Tollefsen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 392 military records available for the last name Tollefsen. For the veterans among your Tollefsen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tollefsen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tollefsen family history

Discover More

What is the average Tollefsen lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Tollefsen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1989, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Tollefsen in 1953 was 54, and 97 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tollefsen

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tollefsen family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Tollefsen last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial