Neilson (name)

Neilson is a patronymic surname meaning "son of Neil". The prefix Neil- is of Irish Gaelic origin, a genitive of 'Niall', possibly meaning "Champion" or "Cloud". Neilson, as a surname, is common in English language-speaking countries, but less common as a given name. It can be an anglicisation of MacNeil (Gaelic: MacNeill) or the Scandinavian name, Nielsen.

People with the name Neilson or its variant spellings include:

Surname

• Adelaide Neilson (1847–1880), British actress
• Alan Neilson (born 1972), German footballer
• Alex Neilson (born 1982), British musician
• Annabelle Neilson (1969–2018), English socialite
• Anthony Neilson (born 1967), British playwright
• Bill Neilson (1925–1989), Australian politician
• Brendan Neilson (born 1978), New Zealand-Japanese rugby union player
• Charles Neilson (1889–1916), Scottish footballer and teacher
• Cook Neilson (born 1943), U.S. journalist and motorcycle racer
• David Neilson (born 1949), British actor
• Donald Neilson (1936–2011), British criminal
• Ed Neilson, American politician
• Francis Neilson (1867–1961), British playwright and politician
• Harry B. Neilson (1861–1941), British illustrator
• Ian Neilson (born 1954), South African engineer and politician
• Jackie Neilson (1929–2012), British footballer
• James Beaumont Neilson (1792–1865), British inventor
• James Neilson (director) (1909–1979), American film and television director
• Jim Neilson (1941–2020), Canadian ice hockey player
• John Neilson (1776–1848), Canadian politician
• Julia Neilson (1868–1957), British actress
• Kim Nielsen (born 1973), U.S. professional wrestler
• Lois Neilson (1895–1990), U.S. silent movie actress
• Marjory Newbold née Neilson (1883–1926), leading Scottish socialist and communist, prominent in the Independent Labour Party and a 'Red Clydesider'
• Melany Neilson (born 1958), U.S. novelist
• Perlita Neilson (1933–2014), English actress
• Phyllis Neilson-Terry (1892–1977), British actress
• Robbie Neilson (born 1980), British professional football player
• Roger Neilson (1934–2003), Canadian hockey coach
• Samuel Neilson (1761–1803), Irish political activist
• Sandra Neilson (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 (1872–1942), Australian poet
• Susan Bieke Neilson (1956–2006), U.S. judge
• Tommy Neilson (1934–2018), British footballer
• Walter Montgomerie Neilson (1819–1889), Locomotive builder
• Willie Neilson (1873–1960), British Rugby player
• William Neilson (1844–1915), Canadian businessman
• William Allan Neilson (1869–1946), British-born U.S. educator, writer and lexicographer

Given name

• Neilson Hubbard (born 1972), American singer-songwriter, musician and producer
• Neilson Powless (born 1996), American road racing cyclist

See also

• Neilsen (disambiguation)
• Nelson (disambiguation)
• Nielsen (surname)
• Nielson
• Nilsen
• Nelson (surname)