Surname Nelissen - Meaning and Origin
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Nelissen: What does the surname Nelissen mean?
Nelissen is a Dutch-originated surname derived from the personal name Nikolaas. This name is derived from the Greek word nikos (victory) and laos (people), and literally translated it means “victory of the people".
Historically, the name seems to have been quite widely distributed in the Low Countries, with the first occurrences of the name being recorded as early as the 11th century. Famous carrier of the name include professional cyclist Raymond Nelissen (1920–1972).
The name is typically associated with Dutch families, and it is believed to be a common toponymic name derived from the location of the bearer’s origin. This suggests people bearing the Nelissen surname originally lived in an area of the Netherlands by the same name.
In Dutch, the surname Nelissen can also have the variant spelling of Niessens. In both cases, the pronunciation remains more or less the same.
Nelissen is typically seen as a sign of a close-knit, proud family of Dutch origin with a deep-rooted cultural history.
Order DNA origin analysisNelissen: Where does the name Nelissen come from?
The last name Nelissen is most commonly found in the Netherlands, where it is among the 35 most common surnames and is particularly concentrated in the provinces of Limburg and North Brabant. The name is also found in Germany and Belgium, as well as in countries where Dutch migrants have settled, including South Africa, Canada, and the United States.
In the Netherlands, most people with the name Nelissen are descended from a relatively limited number of ancestors who immigrated to the country during the Middle Ages as part of a process known as devolkeringsgeschiedenis (translated as 'population history'). The surname is derived from the Dutch word ‘nelis’, which was used in Limburg to refer to a flower with a sweet scent.
The earliest records of the Nelissen surname date back to 1283 and indicate that the owners of the name usually lived and worked in rural areas. It is likely that many of the original Nelissens were farmers, though in the 18th and 19th centuries some of the family moved to towns such as Tilburg and Breda in search of work as laborers and craftsmen.
Today, the Nelissen surname is still most common in the Netherlands. In North America, it is usually spelled Neelis or Nelis, while in South Africa it is spelled Nelis and in Germany and Belgium, it is usually spelled Nellessen.
Variations of the surname Nelissen
Nelissen is a Dutch surname, originating in the Netherlands. Variants include Nelezen, Nelisson, Nelssen, Nelisen and Nellsen. The spellings can also be Nelissen, Nelyssen, Nelysse and Neletsen. It is also commonly found in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Northern France and northern Luxembourg, and variations of the name in those countries include Nellissen, Nelyeson, Nelzsen, Neleesen, Nelseen and Nellissen.
The origin of the Nelissen surname is believed to come from the old German name for a son of Christian, or from the French phrase “Nel’zon”, meaning “to be generous”. It can also be derived from an old Swedish name beginning with “Ne”, symbolizing a descendant of a beloved person.
Nelissen can also be found as a given name in some cases, used in parts of Europe, such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Variations such as Nelise, Nellise, Neleise, Nelleise, Nilies, Nillise, Nilse, and Nilsine are occasionally found.
The surname Nelissen has been found in records dating back to the 16th century. In Britain, the name can be traced to the mid-19th century when immigrants from the Netherlands and Germany settled there. In the United States, the Nelissen surname is documented in the 1860 US Census, and records have been found of people bearing the name from Minnesota to California.
The name is also a popular choice in South African countries such as the KwaZulu-Natal province, where at least 25 people are registered with the Nelissen surname.
The variations in spelling of the Nelissen surname can largely be attributed to the regional differences in the spelling of Dutch surnames in the Netherlands and Belgium, and the fact that many of those variants have been transcribed into English.
Famous people with the name Nelissen
- Jeroen Nelissen: Dutch actor, comedian, director, and scriptwriter.
- Boris Nelissen: Dutch singer-songwriter and producer.
- Sven Nelissen: Dutch professional footballer.
- Geertje Nelissen: Dutch television presenter and journalist.
- Cora Nelissen: Belgian television presenter.
- Katrien Nelissen: Dutch Celebrity Fashion Blogger.
- Martijn Nelissen: Dutch professional football forward.
- Laurens Nelissen: Belgian racing cyclist.
- Bart Nelissen: Dutch baseball player.
- Henry Nelissen: Belgian music producer and DJ.