# Olsen (surname)

Olsen (Danish pronunciation:) is a Danish-Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Ole". The surname Olesen (pronounced) has a similar origin. The Swedish parallel form is Olsson – "son of Ole". Danish and Norwegian immigrants to English-speaking countries often changed the spelling to Olson in order to accommodate English orthographic rules.
Notable people with the surname include:

## A–K

* Aase Olesen (1934–2013), Danish politician
* Andrea Olsen (born 1961), American politician
* Angel Olsen (born 1987), American singer.
* Annelise Damm Olesen (born 1942), Danish retired middle-distance runner
* Anton Olsen (U.S. Navy) (1873–1924), Spanish–American War Medal of Honor recipient
* Ben Olsen (born 1977), American soccer player
* Bjørk Herup Olsen (born 1991), Faroese athlete
* Bjørnar Olsen (born 1958), Norwegian archaeologist
* Brian Olsen (born 1975), American mixed martial artist
* Carsten Olsen (1891–1974), Danish plant ecologist and physiologist
* Charles Olsen (1910–1970), American poet renowned for his provocative style and large body of works
* Dorothy Olsen (1916–2019), American aircraft pilot and member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs)
* Elizabeth Olsen (born 1989), American actress
* Eric Christian Olsen (born 1977), American actor
* Eunice Olsen (born 1977), Singaporean actress and model
* Frances Olsen (born 1945), American law professor at UCLA, feminist law scholar.
* Frederik-Valdemar Olsen (1877–1962), Danish soldier, commander in chief of the Belgian Congo Force Publique
* Gary Olsen (1957–2000), English actor
* Greg Olsen (disambiguation), multiple people
* Gregory Olsen (born 1945), American entrepreneur and scientist, space tourist
* Harold Olsen (1895–1953), American college sports coach
* Helle Olsen, better known as Helle Helle, Danish writer born 1965
* Hilde Gunn Olsen (born 1992), Norwegian footballer
* Inger Pors Olsen (born 1966), Danish rower
* Jens Olsen (1872–1945), Danish clockmaker and locksmith
* John Olsen (1928–2023), Australian artist
* John Olsen (born 1945), 42nd Premier of South Australia
* José María Figueres Olsen (born 1954), 42nd President of Costa Rica
* Karen Olsen Beck (born 1933), Danish American-Costa Rican diplomat and politician
* Ken Olsen (1926–2011), American engineer, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corporation
* Kirsten Olesen (born 1949), Danish actress
* Kjeld Olesen (born 1932), Danish politician
* Kristoffer Olsen (1883–1948), a Norwegian sailor who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics
* Kurt Olsen, American attorney who worked on efforts to overturn 2020 election

## L–Z

* Larry Olsen (disambiguation), multiple people
* Lisa Olsen (born 1956), Canadian skydiver
* Lucy Olsen (born 2003), American basketball player
* Maria Olsen, South African film producer
* Maria Olsen, New Zealand artist
* Martin Olsen (disambiguation), multiple people
* Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (born 1986), American actress twins
* Merlin Olsen, Hall of Fame NFL American football player and TV color commentator
* Michael Olsen (disambiguation), multiple people
* Moroni Olsen (1889–1954), American actor
* Niels Olsen, original name of Cornelius Cruys, 17th century Norwegian-Dutch admiral in Russian service
* Norman Eugene Olsen (1914–1977) was an American football tackle
* Ole Olsen (disambiguation), multiple people
* Ollie Olsen (1958–2024), Australian-based multi-instrumentalist, composer and sound designer.
* Peder Olsen Walløe (1716–1793), Danish-Norwegian Arctic explorer
* Penelope Diane Olsen, Australian ornithologist and author
* Peter B. Olsen (1848–1926), American politician
* Poppy Starr Olsen (born 2000), Australian skateboarder
* Qupanuk Olsen (born 1985), Greenlandic YouTuber, content creator, and engineer
* Robin Olsen, (born 1990), Swedish football goalkeeper
* Sally Olsen (1912–2006), Norwegian-born American social worker and missionary
* Sally Olsen (Minnesota politician) (1934–2022), American lawyer and politician
* Scott Olsen (born 1984), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Florida Marlins
* Søren Olesen (1891–1973), Danish teacher and politician
* Súni Olsen, a Faroese football player
* Susan Olsen (born 1961), American actress best known as Cindy Brady on The Brady Bunch
* Tava Olsen, New Zealand professor in supply chain management
* Tillie Olsen (1912–2007), American writer, feminist, and political activist
* Viktor Olsen (1924–2023), Norwegian long-distance runner
* Olsen Brothers, Danish rock/pop music duo

## Fictional characters with the surname include

* Jimmy Olsen, a fictional character who appears in DC Comics' Superman stories
* Tulip Olsen, the main character in Book One of the animated anthology series Infinity Train