Neilson is a name of Scandinavian origin, derived from the Old Norse personal name 'Hneflauðr'. This name is composed of two elements: 'hnefr' meaning 'kneading trough', and 'auðr' which signifies 'wealth' or 'power'. Thus, Neilson translates to "wealthy with strong arms" or "strong in battle". It was quite popular among the Norse people during the Viking Age. Over time, the name evolved through various forms such as Nelsón, Nielsøn, and Nielsen before becoming Neilson in English-speaking countries. Today, it is still predominantly used in Scandinavia but can also be found elsewhere around the world.
"The name Neilson has seen varying popularity over the years, with a total of 218 babies named Neilson born between 1927 and 2022. The name's peak was in 1975 with 15 births, followed by several years with more than 10 births each until the late 1980s. Since then, the number of annual births with this name has generally decreased, with most recent years showing five or fewer Neilson births."