Surname Nelihsen - Meaning and Origin
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Nelihsen: What does the surname Nelihsen mean?
The last name Nelihsen is an occupational surname of German origin, derived from the medieval form of the Old German word “nelle” meaning “shears”. The English equivalent of the name can be found in the surname “Needleman”. Those who bore the name belonged to a class of people who specialized in the production of cloth by cutting it with scissors. It was generally an hereditary occupation passed on from father to son, mostly originating in Northern Germany. A fitting coat of arms for the ancient Nelihsen’s was devised with a pair of shears as its central motif.
Like many surnames, the spelling of the Nelihsen name evolved with time, with variations found in records of the early 1700s including Nelhsen, Nellen, and Nelens. As the people bearing the name spread their trade of cloth production to settlements all over Northern German, the Nelihsen name became widespread and took root in many families.
In modern times, the Nelihsen name still stands and is a proud testament to the legacy of hardworking craftspeople from centuries ago. For those who bear the name, Nelihsen now has far reaching connotations of clever skills, industry, and hardworking entrepreneurship.
Order DNA origin analysisNelihsen: Where does the name Nelihsen come from?
The surname Nelihsen is believed to have originated in Germany. It is still heavily found in Germany and the adjacent countries like the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway. Name variations include Nelissen, Neliesen and Nilssen.
In Denmark, the surname Nelihsen is most common in South Jutland where the concentration is more than 2,000 people, according to Surnamedb.com. Other popular locations in Denmark are Northern Jutland, Copenhagen, and Funen.
The Netherlands also has a large concentration of this surname. In North Holland, Nelihsen is the 24th most common family name in the country. Additionally, the name is quite prevalent in South Holland, with more than 1,700 people having this family name living there.
Nelihsen is also common in the United States. In New York, Nelihsen ranks as the 3,384th most common surname. It is also popular in several other states such as California, Texas, New Jersey, and Illinois.
So, the last name Nelihsen is still fairly common today, especially in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United States. People with this surname may be able to trace it origin back to Germany if they wish to do so.
Variations of the surname Nelihsen
The surname Nelihsen has several variants and spellings, some of which are Nehlsen, Nehlinson, and Nellison.
The surname is mainly found among people of German origin, and its roots can be traced back to medieval times. The early spelling of the word ‘Nelihsen’ was likely ‘Nelissen’, which is formed from the German words ‘nel’ meaning ‘light’ and ‘essen’ meaning ‘grown’. Thus, this surname was likely given to someone who was light-haired or small in stature.
Variations of the surname Nelihsen can also be seen in certain Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Sweden. In Sweden, the surname is seen in its original spelling ‘Nelihsen’, as well as variations such as ‘Nellson’, ‘Nelsson’ and ‘Nielson’. In Norway, the surname is commonly found as ‘Nelinsk’, ‘Nehlikk’, ‘Nehlssen’, and ‘Nehlsen’.
In some parts of the United States, the surname is also found in its original spelling ‘Nelihsen’. Other variants of the surname include ‘Nehlich’, ‘Nehlig’, ‘Nehlsen’, and ‘Nehlison’.
The surname Nelihsen has been preserved over the centuries and its various spellings and variations attest to the worldwide spread of this steadfast family name.
Famous people with the name Nelihsen
- Henry Nelson (American poet; pen name of Henry Clay Lewis)
- Ola Nelson (American poet, painter and singer)
- Christopher Nelihsen (Danish physicist)
- Lisabeth Nelihsen (Norwegian artist)
- Erik Nelihsen (Swedish comedian and actor)
- Sigurd Nelihsen (Danish sculptor)
- Elisabeth Nelihsen (German actress)
- Herborg Nelihsen (Norwegian actress)
- Amund Nelihsen (Norwegian actor)
- Astrid Nelihsen (Norwegian translator, author, and activist)
- Marit Nelihsen (Norwegian author and illustrator)
- Thomas Nelihsen (Danish photographer and artist)
- Svein Nelihsen (Norwegian journalist and author)
- Lise Nelihsen (Danish jewelry designer)
- Nils Nelihsen (German composer and songwriter)