Neilson is a

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, alt ...

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

meaning "son of

Neil Neil is a masculine name of Gaelic and Irish origin. The name is an anglicisation of the Irish ''Niall'' which is of disputed derivation. The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "honour" or "champion".. A ...

". The prefix ''Neil-'' is of Irish

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

origin, a genitive of '

Niall Niall is a male given name of Irish origin. The original meaning of the name is unknown, but popular modern sources have suggested that it means "champion" (derived from the Old Irish word ''niadh''),. According to John Ryan, Professor of Early an ...

', possibly meaning "Champion" or "Cloud". Neilson, as a surname, is common in

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...

-speaking countries, but less common as a

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

. It can be an anglicisation of

MacNeil MacNeil can have a number of different meanings and spellings: Clan MacNeil is a Scottish clan. Notable people *Al MacNeil (born 1935), Canadian hockey player *Angus MacNeil (born 1970), Scottish politician * Archibald Macneil of Colonsay (fl. ...

(Gaelic: MacNeill) or the Scandinavian name, Nielsen. People with the name Neilson or its variant spellings include:

Surname

Adelaide Neilson Lilian Adelaide Neilson (3 March 184815 August 1880), born Elizabeth Ann Brown, was a British stage actress. Early life Neilson was the daughter of a strolling actress, Anne Brown, and was born, out of wedlock, at 35 St Peters Square Leeds ...

(1847–1880), British actress *

Alan Neilson Alan Neilson (born 26 September 1972) is a Welsh former professional footballer who currently works as a Professional Development Coach for Norwich City. He played his entire career in England as a defender from 1991 until 2007, notably in the ...

(born 1972), German footballer *

Alex Neilson Alex Neilson (born 22 September 1982) is an English drummer, percussionist and singer who is based in Glasgow but grew up in Leeds. He is a founding member and main songwriter of folk-rock group Trembling Bells (2008-2018). He is also known for ...

(born 1982), British musician *

Anthony Neilson Anthony Neilson (born 1967, Edinburgh) is a Scottish playwright and director. He is known for his collaborative way of writing and workshopping his plays. Much of his work is characterised by the exploration of sex and violence. Neilson has bee ...

(born 1967), British playwright *

Bill Neilson William Arthur Neilson AC (27 August 1925 – 9 November 1989) was Premier of Tasmania from 1975 to 1977. Born in Hobart, and educated at Ogilvie High School, Neilson became a postman before entering politics. He married Jill Benjamin, daug ...

(1925–1989), Australian politician * Brendan Neilson (born 1978), New Zealand-Japanese rugby union player *

Charles Neilson Charles Neilson (27 November 1889 – 1 June 1916) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an outside left in the Scottish League for Aberdeen. Personal life Neilson attended Ellon Primary School and graduated with an MA from A ...

(1889–1916), Scottish footballer and teacher *

Cook Neilson Cook Neilson (born August 24, 1943) is an American former journalist and motorcycle racer made famous for his win on a Ducati 750SS at Daytona in 1977. He graduated from Princeton in the mid 1960s, was hired as associate editor of '' Cycle'' i ...

(born 1943), U.S. journalist and motorcycle racer *

David Neilson David Neilson (born 13 March 1949) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as cafe owner Roy Cropper in the long running ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', which he has played since 1995. Early life Neilson was born in Loughbor ...

(born 1949), British actor *

Donald Neilson Donald Neilson (born Donald Nappey; 1 August 1936 – 18 December 2011), alias the “Black Panther,” was a British armed robber, kidnapper, and multiple murderer. From 1971, he committed a series of robberies of sub-post offices; in 197 ...

(1936-2011), British criminal *

Ed Neilson Edward "Ed" Neilson is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. In April 2012, he won a special election to represent the 169th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. In May 2014 he won a special election to s ...

, American politician *

Francis Neilson Francis Neilson (26 January 1867 – 13 April 1961) was an accomplished actor; playwright, stage director; political figure; member of the British House of Commons; avid lecturer; author of more than 60 books, plays and opera librettos and the ...

(1867–1961), British playwright and politician * Harry B. Neilson (1861–1941), British illustrator *

Ian Neilson Ian Douglas Neilson (born 20 October 1954) is a South African civil engineer and politician who served as the Deputy Mayor of Cape Town from May 2009 to October 2021. He previously served as the Mayoral Committee Member for Finance from 2006 u ...

(born 1954), South African engineer and politician *

Jackie Neilson John Neilson (1 April 1929 – 22 June 2012) was a Scottish footballer. He played for St Mirren in the Scottish Football League. He also represented the Scottish Football League XI four times. He played in an unofficial match for the Scotland B ...

(1929-2012), British footballer *

James Beaumont Neilson James Beaumont Neilson (22 June 1792 – 18 January 1865) was a Scotland, Scottish inventor whose hot blast, hot-blast process greatly increased the efficiency of smelting iron. Life He was the son of the engineer Walter Neilson, a millwri ...

(1792–1865), British inventor *

James Neilson (director) James William Neilson (October 1, 1909December 9, 1979) was an American television director, known for his stage and film direction as well as his work with ''Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color''. Directing James W. Neilson was born in Shre ...

(1909-1979), American film and television director *

Jim Neilson James Anthony Neilson (November 28, 1941 – November 6, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers, California Golden Seals, and Cleveland Barons and complete ...

(born 1941), Canadian ice hockey player * John Neilson (1776–1848), Canadian politician *

Julia Neilson Julia Emilie Neilson (12 June 1868 – 27 May 1957) was an English actress best known for her numerous performances as Lady Blakeney in ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'', for her roles in many tragedies and historical romances, and for her portrayal of ...

(1868–1957), British actress * Kim Nielsen (born 1973), U.S. professional wrestler * Lois Neilson (1895–1990), U.S. silent movie actress *

Marjory Newbold Marjory Newbold (25 May 1883 – 15 November 1926) was a leading Scottish socialist and communist, prominent in the Independent Labour Party and in the 'Red Clydeside' movement demanding reforms for the working class. Newbold organised pacifist an ...

née Neilson (1883 - 1926), leading Scottish socialist and communist, prominent in the

Independent Labour Party The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse working-class candidates ...

and a ' Red Clydesider' *

Melany Neilson Melany Neilson (born December 1, 1958, in Moses Lake, Washington) is an American author. Biography Neilson grew up in Lexington, Mississippi, Lexington, Mississippi, and attended the segregated Central Holmes Academy. Nelson later graduated from ...

(born 1958), U.S. novelist * Perlita Neilson (1933–2014), English actress *

Phyllis Neilson-Terry Phyllis Neilson-Terry (15 October 1892 – 25 September 1977) was an English actress. She was a member of the third generation of the theatrical dynasty the Terry family. After early successes in the classics, including several leading William ...

(1892–1977), British actress *

Robbie Neilson Robbie Neilson (born 19 June 1980) is a Scottish professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian. Neilson, who played as a right-back, started his senior career with ...

(born 1980), British professional football player *

Roger Neilson Roger Paul Neilson, (June 16, 1934 – June 21, 2003) was a Canadian professional ice hockey coach, most notably in the NHL, where he served with eight teams in a checkered career. Known as Captain Video because of his technological contributi ...

(1934–2003), Canadian hockey coach *

Samuel Neilson Samuel Neilson (17 September 1761 – 29 August 1803) was an Irish businessman, journalist and politician. He was a founding member of the Society of United Irishmen and the founder of its newspaper, the Northern Star (newspaper of the Society of ...

(1761–1803), Irish political activist *

Sandra Neilson Sandra Lynn Neilson (born March 20, 1956), also known by her married name Sandy Bell, is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder. Amateur career Neilson won her only Amateur Athlet ...

(born 1956), U.S. swimmer * Scott Neilson (athlete) (born 1957), Canadian hammer thrower * Scott Neilson (footballer) (born 1987), English footballer * Shane Neilson (born 1975), Canadian physician, author and poet *

Shaw Neilson John Shaw Neilson was an Australian poet. Slightly built, for most of his life he worked as a labourer, fruit-picking, clearing scrub, navvying and working in quarries, and, after 1928, working as a messenger with the Country Roads Board in Mel ...

(1872–1942), Australian poet *

Susan Bieke Neilson Susan Bieke Neilson (August 27, 1956 – January 25, 2006) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and before that, a state trial judge in Michigan. Neilson was nominated by President Geor ...

(1956–2006), U.S. judge *

Tommy Neilson Thomas Neilson (15 March 1935 – 10 February 2018) was a Scottish former footballer who played wing-half. Neilson played for East Fife, Dundee United and – briefly – Cowdenbeath Cowdenbeath (; sco, Coudenbeith) is a town and burgh i ...

(1934-2018), British footballer *

Walter Montgomerie Neilson Walter Montgomerie Neilson (28 November 1819 – 8 July 1889) was a Scottish locomotive and marine engineer and manufacturer. He was born in Glasgow, the son of James Beaumont Neilson, inventor of the hot blast furnace. Walter was trained as an ...

(1819–1889), Locomotive builder * Willie Neilson (1873–1960), British Rugby player * William Neilson (1844–1915), Canadian businessman *

William Allan Neilson William Allan Neilson (28 March 1869 – 1946) was a Scottish-American educator, writer and lexicographer, graduated in the University of Edinburgh in 1891 and became a PhD in Harvard University in 1898. He was president of Smith College betwe ...

(1869–1946), British-born U.S. educator, writer and lexicographer

Given name

Neilson Hubbard Neilson Hubbard (born October 27, 1972) is an American record producer, film director, film producer, singer-songwriter, and photographer. He produced Mary Gauthier's Grammy-nominated album, ''Rifles & Rosary Beads'', as well as albums for Sam ...

(born 1972), American singer-songwriter, musician and producer.

Surname

Given name

See also