Find out how popular the last name Oldson is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Oldson.

Oldson, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Oldson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oldson in America

Oldson is the 79846th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oldson surname appeared 238 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Oldson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oldson to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Oldson

The surname Oldson has its origins in the Nordic countries of Scandinavia, particularly in areas such as Norway and Sweden. It likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th centuries. The name is derived from the Old Norse words "aldr" meaning "age" and "sonr" meaning "son," suggesting it was originally a descriptive name for an elderly or aging son.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Oldson name can be found in the Icelandic sagas, which were written between the 12th and 14th centuries. These sagas often mentioned individuals with descriptive surnames, and it is possible that a character or person was referred to as "Oldson" during this time.

In Norway, the Oldson name can be traced back to the 16th century, with records showing individuals bearing this surname residing in various regions of the country. One notable example is Hans Oldson, a Norwegian merchant and ship owner who lived in the city of Bergen in the late 16th century.

In Sweden, the Oldson surname also has a long history, with records dating back to the 17th century. One prominent figure was Erik Oldson, a Swedish military officer who served in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

As the name spread across Scandinavia, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Olsson, Olsen, and Oldsen, reflecting regional dialects and language differences. It is also worth noting that some individuals with the Oldson surname may have adopted it as a patronymic name, meaning "son of Old," rather than a descriptive surname.

In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the Oldson name was Johan Oldson, a Swedish explorer and cartographer who participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions. His detailed maps and observations contributed significantly to the understanding of these remote areas.

Another historical figure with the Oldson surname was Nils Oldson, a Norwegian artist who lived in the 19th century. Oldson was renowned for his landscape paintings, which captured the beauty and rugged nature of the Norwegian countryside.

As the Oldson name spread beyond Scandinavia, it also found its way to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas through immigration. While the name may not be as common today as it once was in its regions of origin, it remains an important part of the cultural heritage and history of the Nordic countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oldson

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Oldson.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Oldson was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Oldson has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Oldson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Oldson, please contact us.

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