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Olsson Family History

Olsson Surname Meaning

Swedish: patronymic from the personal name Ola, a short form of Olof, Swedish variant of Olaf (see Olafsen) or a shortened form of the patronymic Olofsson (see Olofson).

Compare Ohlsson, Oleson, and Olson.

German (Eastphalia): patronymic from a short form of the personal name Ulrich.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Olsson family from?

You can see how Olsson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Olsson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Olsson families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 35 Olsson families living in London. This was about 30% of all the recorded Olsson's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Olsson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Olsson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Olsson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Shipwright and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Olsson. 25% of Olsson men worked as a Shipwright and 81% of Olsson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Olsson were Seaman Retired and Housewife.

View Census Data for Olsson | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Shipwright
    25%
  • Boilermaker Heavy Worker
    25%
  • Timber Salesman
    25%
  • Seaman Retired
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    81%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic Worker
    6%
  • Housewife
    4%

What Olsson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Olsson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Olsson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Olsson

Passenger Lists

There are 120,000 immigration records available for the last name Olsson. 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 Olsson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Olsson. For the veterans among your Olsson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Olsson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Olsson family history

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What is the average Olsson lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Olsson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Olsson in 1941 was 34, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Olsson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Olsson ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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