These Norwegian last names are the 300 most used in Norway in 2025, from Statistics Norway's table of last names, each with its rank and count. Hansen leads, with 47,879 people.
Read the full guide
Norwegian last names and their meanings
97 cards add a meaning to the rank and count: the father's name behind a -sen name, as Hansen is the son of Hans, or the landscape word behind a farm name, as Bakken comes from bakke, a hill or slope.
Sort by place or by kind
The dropdown, Place in the count, keeps the top 10, ranks 11 to 100 or ranks 101 to 300. Under More filters, Kind keeps the 66 -sen names and the 30 farm names a source marks; the other cards carry no kind. The table counts everyone registered in Norway, so Ali and Nguyen stand beside Hansen.
Tips
Spellings are counted apart: Hansen and Hanssen each have their own rank, and so do Ødegård and Ødegaard.
Questions and answers
What are the most common Norwegian last names?
Hansen, Johansen, Olsen, Larsen and Andersen lead Statistics Norway's table for 2025. The first thirteen are all -sen names; Berg, at rank 14, is the first farm name.
Why do so many Norwegian last names end in -sen?
They began as patronymics: Hansen was the son of Hans, and the next generation took a new name. In 1923 Norway's parliament passed a family name act, so that last names would no longer change with every generation.
What is a Norwegian farm name?
A last name taken from the farm a family lived on. Farms were named for the land around them: Berg is a mountain or hill, Dahl a valley, Vik a bay or inlet and Lie the side of a valley.
Where are the names that start with Ø?
Under 0 to 9, the last choice of Starts with under More filters. The tool cannot file Ø under O, so Ødegård, Ødegaard, Øien, Østby and Øverland stand there.
AndersenRank 5 in Norway: 34,382 people. A -sen name: son of Anders.
HansenRank 1 in Norway: 47,879 people. A -sen name: son of Hans.
JensenRank 9 in Norway: 21,253 people. A -sen name: son of Jens.
JohansenRank 2 in Norway: 45,604 people. A -sen name: son of Johan.
KarlsenRank 10 in Norway: 19,636 people. A -sen name: son of Karl.
KristiansenRank 8 in Norway: 21,809 people. A -sen name: son of Kristian.
LarsenRank 4 in Norway: 34,833 people. A -sen name: son of Lars.
NilsenRank 7 in Norway: 31,657 people. A -sen name: son of Nils.
OlsenRank 3 in Norway: 44,682 people. A -sen name: son of Ole, Ola or Olav.
PedersenRank 6 in Norway: 32,685 people. A -sen name: son of Peder.
Ranks 11 to 100 90
AasRank 65 in Norway: 5,624 people.
AasenRank 85 in Norway: 4,388 people.
AbrahamsenRank 100 in Norway: 3,792 people. A -sen name: son of Abraham.
AhmedRank 55 in Norway: 6,314 people.
AliRank 37 in Norway: 7,791 people.
AmundsenRank 43 in Norway: 7,007 people. A -sen name: son of Amund.
AndreassenRank 18 in Norway: 11,382 people. A -sen name: son of Andreas.
AndresenRank 58 in Norway: 5,924 people. A -sen name: son of Andres.
AntonsenRank 77 in Norway: 4,883 people. A -sen name: son of Anton.
ArnesenRank 76 in Norway: 4,928 people. A -sen name: son of Arne.
AuneRank 95 in Norway: 4,140 people.
BakkeRank 49 in Norway: 6,653 people. A farm name: hill or rise.
BakkenRank 39 in Norway: 7,481 people. A farm name. Topographic surname, from bakke (“hill, slope”).
BergRank 14 in Norway: 17,344 people. A farm name: mountain or hill.
BergeRank 45 in Norway: 6,863 people. A farm name: mountain or hill.
BerntsenRank 71 in Norway: 5,242 people. A -sen name: son of Bernt.
BirkelandRank 80 in Norway: 4,717 people. From Old Norse birkja (“birch”) + land.
BrekkeRank 98 in Norway: 3,935 people. A farm name. Norwegian surname, from several farms of the same name, from Old Norse brekka (“slope, descent”).
BøeRank 93 in Norway: 4,149 people. A farm name.
ChristensenRank 57 in Norway: 6,105 people. A -sen name: son of Christen.
DahlRank 20 in Norway: 11,177 people. A farm name. From dal (“valley”).
DanielsenRank 70 in Norway: 5,357 people. A -sen name: son of Daniel.
ØdegårdRank 91 in Norway: 4,230 people.
EdvardsenRank 81 in Norway: 4,663 people. A -sen name: son of Edvard.
EideRank 33 in Norway: 8,457 people.
EliassenRank 94 in Norway: 4,141 people. A -sen name: son of Elias.
EllingsenRank 79 in Norway: 4,751 people. A -sen name: son of Elling.
EriksenRank 13 in Norway: 18,162 people. A -sen name: son of Erik.
EvensenRank 61 in Norway: 5,759 people. A -sen name: son of Even.
FredriksenRank 52 in Norway: 6,466 people. A -sen name: son of Fredrik.
GulbrandsenRank 87 in Norway: 4,320 people.
GundersenRank 29 in Norway: 9,630 people. A -sen name: son of Gunder.
HagenRank 16 in Norway: 13,418 people. A farm name.
HalvorsenRank 24 in Norway: 10,578 people. A -sen name: son of Halvor.
HanssenRank 68 in Norway: 5,434 people. A -sen name: son of Hans.
HaugRank 78 in Norway: 4,859 people.
HaugeRank 56 in Norway: 6,210 people.
HaugenRank 15 in Norway: 13,746 people. A farm name: hill or mound.
HauglandRank 62 in Norway: 5,721 people. A farm name. Named after several farmsteads derived from Old Norse haugr (“hill mound”) + land.
HellandRank 89 in Norway: 4,295 people.
HenriksenRank 23 in Norway: 10,656 people. A -sen name: son of Henrik.
HolmRank 53 in Norway: 6,422 people. A farm name. From holm, archaic form of holme (“small island”).
IsaksenRank 82 in Norway: 4,654 people. A -sen name: son of Isak.
IversenRank 30 in Norway: 9,588 people. A -sen name: son of Iver.
JacobsenRank 19 in Norway: 11,354 people. A -sen name: son of Jacob.
JakobsenRank 25 in Norway: 10,196 people. A -sen name: son of Jakob.
JenssenRank 96 in Norway: 4,033 people. A -sen name: son of Jens.
JohannessenRank 17 in Norway: 12,270 people. A -sen name: son of Johannes.
JohnsenRank 11 in Norway: 19,219 people. A -sen name: son of John.
JørgensenRank 22 in Norway: 10,745 people. A -sen name: son of Jørgen.
KnudsenRank 60 in Norway: 5,799 people. A -sen name: son of Knut.
KnutsenRank 34 in Norway: 8,088 people. A -sen name: son of Knut.
KristensenRank 51 in Norway: 6,564 people. A -sen name: son of Kristen.
KristoffersenRank 40 in Norway: 7,427 people. A -sen name: son of Kristoffer.
LieRank 41 in Norway: 7,267 people. A farm name: side of a valley.
LienRank 54 in Norway: 6,356 people.
LundRank 21 in Norway: 10,850 people. A farm name: a grove.
LundeRank 47 in Norway: 6,793 people.
MartinsenRank 35 in Norway: 8,087 people. A -sen name: son of Martin.
MathisenRank 42 in Norway: 7,142 people. A -sen name: son of Mathis.
MikkelsenRank 92 in Norway: 4,170 people. A -sen name: son of Mikkel.
MoeRank 50 in Norway: 6,633 people.
MoenRank 27 in Norway: 9,910 people. A farm name. From the definite singular of mo (“flat, especially dry and sandy plain; flat woodland”), literally “the moor” or “the plain”.
MohamedRank 99 in Norway: 3,885 people.
MyhreRank 63 in Norway: 5,691 people.
MyklebustRank 86 in Norway: 4,343 people.
NguyenRank 38 in Norway: 7,581 people.
NielsenRank 59 in Norway: 5,899 people. A -sen name: son of Niels.
NygårdRank 48 in Norway: 6,659 people. A farm name.
NæssRank 74 in Norway: 4,958 people. A farm name.
PaulsenRank 36 in Norway: 7,899 people. A -sen name: son of Paul.
PettersenRank 12 in Norway: 18,511 people. A -sen name: son of Petter.
RasmussenRank 44 in Norway: 6,878 people. A -sen name: son of Rasmus.
RuudRank 84 in Norway: 4,462 people. From Old Norse ruð, rjóðr, ryðja (“clearing”).
RønningRank 73 in Norway: 5,088 people.
SandvikRank 72 in Norway: 5,236 people. From sand (“sand”) + vik (“bay”).
SimonsenRank 67 in Norway: 5,459 people. A -sen name: son of Simon.
SivertsenRank 69 in Norway: 5,415 people. A -sen name: son of Sivert.
SolbergRank 31 in Norway: 9,548 people.
SolheimRank 46 in Norway: 6,863 people.
StrandRank 28 in Norway: 9,653 people.
StrømRank 88 in Norway: 4,302 people.
SvendsenRank 32 in Norway: 9,223 people. A -sen name: son of Svend.
SætherRank 64 in Norway: 5,676 people. A farm name. A common name for a farm in Norway, from Old Norse setr (“seat, mountain pastures”).
SørensenRank 26 in Norway: 10,085 people. A -sen name: son of Søren.
TangenRank 90 in Norway: 4,283 people.
ThomassenRank 66 in Norway: 5,535 people. A -sen name: son of Thomas.
ThorsenRank 83 in Norway: 4,646 people. A -sen name: son of Thor.
TveitRank 97 in Norway: 4,002 people.
VikRank 75 in Norway: 4,955 people. A farm name: bay or inlet.
Ranks 101 to 300 200
AamodtRank 220 in Norway: 1,945 people. A farm name. A topographic surname from åmot (“confluence of two rivers”).
AaseRank 158 in Norway: 2,499 people.
AasheimRank 269 in Norway: 1,607 people.
AbdiRank 186 in Norway: 2,190 people.
AhmadRank 172 in Norway: 2,346 people.
AnderssonRank 156 in Norway: 2,538 people. From Swedish Andersson: son of Anders.
ArntsenRank 226 in Norway: 1,907 people.
ArntzenRank 218 in Norway: 1,978 people.
BendiksenRank 287 in Norway: 1,509 people.
BergerRank 188 in Norway: 2,184 people.
BergersenRank 285 in Norway: 1,517 people.
BergetRank 234 in Norway: 1,854 people.
BjellandRank 247 in Norway: 1,749 people.
BjerkeRank 105 in Norway: 3,566 people.
BjørnstadRank 132 in Norway: 3,035 people.
BolstadRank 272 in Norway: 1,591 people.
BorgeRank 193 in Norway: 2,145 people.
BorgenRank 210 in Norway: 2,018 people.
BråtenRank 143 in Norway: 2,708 people.
BråthenRank 123 in Norway: 3,190 people.
BreivikRank 153 in Norway: 2,574 people. A farm name.
BrevikRank 260 in Norway: 1,646 people.
ByeRank 167 in Norway: 2,387 people.
BøRank 163 in Norway: 2,457 people. A farm name. As a place name, from the common noun bø (“farm; enclosed farmland, infield”), inherited from Old Norse bǿr (“farm, farmstead”).
BørresenRank 245 in Norway: 1,772 people.
CarlsenRank 144 in Norway: 2,680 people. A -sen name: son of Carl.
ChristiansenRank 104 in Norway: 3,582 people. A -sen name: son of Christian.
DahleRank 121 in Norway: 3,229 people.
DaleRank 115 in Norway: 3,324 people. A farm name. From Old Norse Dali, dative singular of Dalr, from dalr (“valley”).
DalenRank 164 in Norway: 2,449 people.
DavidsenRank 240 in Norway: 1,803 people. A -sen name: son of David.
ØdegaardRank 171 in Norway: 2,347 people.
EgelandRank 155 in Norway: 2,548 people.
EggenRank 239 in Norway: 1,806 people.
EikelandRank 181 in Norway: 2,258 people.
EilertsenRank 124 in Norway: 3,151 people.
EllefsenRank 243 in Norway: 1,781 people.
EndresenRank 290 in Norway: 1,503 people.
EngebretsenRank 148 in Norway: 2,626 people.
EngenRank 102 in Norway: 3,707 people.
EngerRank 197 in Norway: 2,116 people.
EspelandRank 253 in Norway: 1,707 people.
FarstadRank 273 in Norway: 1,583 people.
FinstadRank 248 in Norway: 1,732 people.
FjeldRank 160 in Norway: 2,465 people.
FjeldstadRank 249 in Norway: 1,721 people.
FossRank 128 in Norway: 3,097 people.
FosseRank 185 in Norway: 2,202 people.
FossumRank 146 in Norway: 2,639 people.
FrantzenRank 293 in Norway: 1,496 people.
GabrielsenRank 133 in Norway: 3,035 people.
GjerdeRank 112 in Norway: 3,391 people. From Old Norse gerði (“pasture, enclosed land”).
GjertsenRank 270 in Norway: 1,603 people.
GranRank 241 in Norway: 1,795 people.
GrandeRank 267 in Norway: 1,624 people.
GrimstadRank 279 in Norway: 1,550 people.
GulliksenRank 291 in Norway: 1,503 people.
GustavsenRank 137 in Norway: 2,817 people.
HaalandRank 173 in Norway: 2,324 people. A farm name. From the farm name Håland.
HagaRank 170 in Norway: 2,351 people.
HålandRank 126 in Norway: 3,112 people. A farm name. From Old Norse Háland, Hávaland, from hár (“high”) + land (“land”).
HammerRank 130 in Norway: 3,054 people.
HamreRank 183 in Norway: 2,216 people.
HassanRank 107 in Norway: 3,495 people.
HauganRank 209 in Norway: 2,022 people. A farm name: hill or mound.
HelgesenRank 117 in Norway: 3,314 people.
HelleRank 205 in Norway: 2,059 people.
HermansenRank 114 in Norway: 3,355 people. A -sen name: son of Herman.
HetlandRank 232 in Norway: 1,863 people.
HoelRank 138 in Norway: 2,814 people.
HoffRank 136 in Norway: 2,818 people.
HoleRank 221 in Norway: 1,940 people. A farm name. Old Norse Hólar, plural of hóll (“round, isolated hill; mound”).
HolenRank 194 in Norway: 2,143 people.
HolmenRank 140 in Norway: 2,746 people.
HoltRank 282 in Norway: 1,547 people. English, Dutch, north German, Norwegian and Danish surname, all from the noun holt (“copse, woodland”).
HolteRank 263 in Norway: 1,633 people.
HovlandRank 108 in Norway: 3,470 people.
HusbyRank 235 in Norway: 1,850 people.
HussainRank 211 in Norway: 2,017 people.
HusseinRank 199 in Norway: 2,112 people.
IbrahimRank 142 in Norway: 2,737 people.
ØienRank 190 in Norway: 2,179 people.
IngebrigtsenRank 139 in Norway: 2,790 people.
JansenRank 131 in Norway: 3,038 people.
JohannesenRank 179 in Norway: 2,270 people. A -sen name: son of Johannes.
JohanssonRank 159 in Norway: 2,487 people.
JonassenRank 169 in Norway: 2,357 people. A -sen name: son of Jonas.
KhanRank 106 in Norway: 3,505 people.
KlausenRank 276 in Norway: 1,560 people. A -sen name: son of Klaus.
KleppeRank 229 in Norway: 1,878 people.
KlevenRank 217 in Norway: 1,986 people.
KolstadRank 191 in Norway: 2,155 people.
KroghRank 278 in Norway: 1,557 people.
KrogstadRank 265 in Norway: 1,632 people.
KvamRank 198 in Norway: 2,114 people.
KvammeRank 196 in Norway: 2,119 people.
LangelandRank 189 in Norway: 2,184 people.
LarssenRank 283 in Norway: 1,534 people.
LarssonRank 275 in Norway: 1,575 people.
LauritzenRank 280 in Norway: 1,548 people.
LeRank 215 in Norway: 1,999 people.
LervikRank 298 in Norway: 1,461 people.
LianRank 208 in Norway: 2,033 people. A farm name. As a Norwegian surname, from several farmsteads with the name Li, from Old Norse hlíð (“hillside”).
LindRank 202 in Norway: 2,098 people.
LindbergRank 255 in Norway: 1,687 people.
LorentzenRank 134 in Norway: 2,861 people.
LudvigsenRank 145 in Norway: 2,644 people.
LøkenRank 174 in Norway: 2,306 people.
LøkkenRank 216 in Norway: 1,991 people.
MadsenRank 101 in Norway: 3,746 people. A -sen name: son of Mads.
MagnussenRank 116 in Norway: 3,318 people. A -sen name: son of Magnus.
MarkussenRank 223 in Norway: 1,926 people.
MarthinsenRank 259 in Norway: 1,647 people.
MelandRank 251 in Norway: 1,713 people.
MeyerRank 230 in Norway: 1,876 people.
MikalsenRank 111 in Norway: 3,399 people.
MoRank 268 in Norway: 1,613 people.
MohammedRank 168 in Norway: 2,384 people.
MonsenRank 152 in Norway: 2,584 people. A -sen name: son of Mons.
MortensenRank 110 in Norway: 3,423 people. A -sen name: son of Morten.
MyrvangRank 228 in Norway: 1,882 people.
MyrvoldRank 288 in Norway: 1,509 people.
MælandRank 207 in Norway: 2,053 people.
MøllerRank 180 in Norway: 2,262 people.
NessRank 242 in Norway: 1,791 people. A farm name.
NesseRank 238 in Norway: 1,815 people.
NikolaisenRank 201 in Norway: 2,103 people.
NilssenRank 122 in Norway: 3,195 people.
NilssonRank 262 in Norway: 1,639 people.
NordbyRank 166 in Norway: 2,429 people.
NordbøRank 264 in Norway: 1,633 people.
NordliRank 237 in Norway: 1,828 people.
NordvikRank 296 in Norway: 1,478 people.
NorheimRank 244 in Norway: 1,781 people.
NormannRank 289 in Norway: 1,509 people.
NyborgRank 292 in Norway: 1,502 people.
NygaardRank 119 in Norway: 3,253 people.
OlaussenRank 257 in Norway: 1,671 people.
OmarRank 222 in Norway: 1,937 people.
OpsahlRank 297 in Norway: 1,474 people.
OsmanRank 274 in Norway: 1,577 people.
OttesenRank 203 in Norway: 2,097 people.
PetersenRank 214 in Norway: 2,001 people. A -sen name: son of Peter.
ReitanRank 254 in Norway: 1,694 people. A farm name. Derives from the plural form of reit (“farmstead”).
RiiseRank 258 in Norway: 1,666 people.
RingstadRank 299 in Norway: 1,460 people.
RustadRank 284 in Norway: 1,522 people.
RødRank 300 in Norway: 1,457 people.
RøedRank 236 in Norway: 1,849 people.
RønningenRank 147 in Norway: 2,627 people.
SalvesenRank 286 in Norway: 1,510 people. From Salve + -sen.
SamuelsenRank 149 in Norway: 2,620 people.
SandRank 162 in Norway: 2,462 people.
SandbergRank 175 in Norway: 2,305 people.
SandeRank 178 in Norway: 2,282 people.
SandnesRank 141 in Norway: 2,739 people.
SimensenRank 256 in Norway: 1,677 people.
SinghRank 204 in Norway: 2,075 people.
SkaarRank 233 in Norway: 1,859 people.
SkaugRank 266 in Norway: 1,625 people.
SkoglundRank 200 in Norway: 2,109 people.
SlettenRank 206 in Norway: 2,057 people.
SmithRank 212 in Norway: 2,011 people.
SolbakkenRank 150 in Norway: 2,612 people.
SolemRank 224 in Norway: 1,910 people.
SolhaugRank 271 in Norway: 1,592 people.
SolliRank 135 in Norway: 2,838 people.
SolvangRank 154 in Norway: 2,566 people.
StangelandRank 294 in Norway: 1,492 people.
ØstbyRank 227 in Norway: 1,896 people.
SteenRank 129 in Norway: 3,093 people.
StenbergRank 246 in Norway: 1,750 people.
SteneRank 192 in Norway: 2,148 people.
StensrudRank 219 in Norway: 1,953 people.
StokkeRank 161 in Norway: 2,464 people.
SundRank 250 in Norway: 1,721 people.
SundeRank 103 in Norway: 3,639 people. A farm name. From the Norwegian surname named after several farmsteads, from Old Norse sund (“strait, sound”).
SveenRank 151 in Norway: 2,606 people.
SyversenRank 176 in Norway: 2,304 people.
SyvertsenRank 252 in Norway: 1,708 people.
SætreRank 127 in Norway: 3,108 people.
SørlieRank 177 in Norway: 2,286 people.
TeigenRank 182 in Norway: 2,229 people.
ThoresenRank 113 in Norway: 3,389 people.
ThorvaldsenRank 295 in Norway: 1,488 people.
TollefsenRank 184 in Norway: 2,203 people.
TorgersenRank 109 in Norway: 3,455 people.
TorpRank 195 in Norway: 2,123 people.
TranRank 120 in Norway: 3,253 people.
TvedtRank 225 in Norway: 1,910 people.
TønnessenRank 213 in Norway: 2,005 people.
VatneRank 277 in Norway: 1,559 people.
ØverlandRank 281 in Norway: 1,548 people.
VikenRank 187 in Norway: 2,185 people.
VoldRank 231 in Norway: 1,866 people.
WaageRank 261 in Norway: 1,640 people.
WangRank 157 in Norway: 2,518 people.
WiikRank 165 in Norway: 2,449 people.
WilhelmsenRank 125 in Norway: 3,149 people.
WoldRank 118 in Norway: 3,274 people.
How this list was compiled
Names, ranks and counts: Statistics Norway (SSB), StatBank table 12891, 'Last names used by 200 persons or more' (https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/12891, figures for 2025, table updated 28 January 2026, read 2 October 2026). The table holds 3,706 last names, 3,620 of them with a count for 2025; this list is the 300 with the highest 2025 counts, and the rank is that order, counted by us; names with the same count are ranked A to Z. The table counts everyone registered as resident in Norway under each spelling, so spellings are ranked apart (Hansen and Hanssen) and names that came from other countries are counted like any other. Meanings: a card is marked as a -sen name, with the father's name, only where the name's Norwegian entry on English Wiktionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Norwegian_surnames, read the same day) calls it a patronymic; it is marked as a farm name where that entry files it under place names or calls it habitational or topographic, where English Wikipedia's 'Scandinavian family name etymology' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_family_name_etymology) lists it among surnames from farm names, or where the Norway table of English Wikipedia's 'List of most common surnames in European countries' notes it as one; the landscape word on the card is the one that source gives. For a few names with no Norwegian entry the line comes from the English entry that gives the Norwegian origin. Every other card carries the rank and count alone: nothing was guessed from a spelling, so a name ending in -sen is unmarked where no entry was found. The letters æ, ø and å are kept. Licence: Statistics Norway's figures are published under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; https://www.ssb.no/en/diverse/lisens): source Statistics Norway, www.ssb.no; the ranking of the top 300 is our own. Meanings: English Wiktionary and English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).