Map of Denmark showing where the Olsen arms are recorded
The Olsen arms were recorded in Denmark, c. 1722.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Sjaælland.
Zealand held the Danish court, the crown's offices and Copenhagen itself. Families who served the king kept estates within reach of it, and royal service was the ordinary route to a coat of arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Denmark in this period.
Frederik IV of Denmark
Sovereign of the period
Frederik IV of Denmark
1699–1730
Reigning in Denmark when the Olsen arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Denmark
Danish heraldry during this period was closely tied to noble status and royal favor rather than being open to all citizens. Arms were typically granted by the monarch to individuals, and these symbols were then shared by all members of the noble house. If a family line died out, the right to use those specific arms ended with them.
Granting authority
The Danish royal chancery held the power to issue and regulate official coats of arms for the kingdom.
How they got arms
Families usually received their arms through a formal royal grant that confirmed their noble status and rights.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Danish Royal Chancery records starting in the sixteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Denmark.
Origin & History of the Olsen Family in Denmark
The surname Olsen is a classic example of a patronymic naming system, which was the standard way of identifying people in Denmark for many centuries. The name literally translates to "son of Ole," meaning that an ancestor in the early 1700s was the son of a man named Ole. By the time your ancestors were living on the island of Sjælland in 1722, this naming pattern was deeply rooted in daily life. Families often did not have fixed surnames that passed down through generations in the modern sense. Instead, a child would take their father’s first name and add the suffix "sen" to it. This meant that the family name could technically change with every generation as the father's name shifted. Over time, these names became permanent family identifiers as government record-keeping became more formal and structured across the Danish countryside.
Olsen Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Olafr
Derived from the Old Norse words for ancestor and descendant.
This name
OlsenPatronymic surname meaning son of Ole or son of Olaf.
also spelled
Olson
Related arms
Bilefeldsimilar arms
Eisensimilar arms
Furersimilar arms
Jastersimilar arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Derry, T.K., A History of Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland, 1979
Nielsen, Oluf, Kjøbenhavns Diplomatarium, 1872
Rigsarkivet (Danish National Archives), Kirkebøger (Church Records for the Diocese of Sjælland), 1722
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branchPeace, and new growth
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
branchPeace, and new growth
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
