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English: patronymic from the personal name Nell or Nele either of which might be a pet form of Elias or less commonly of Niel (from Latin Nigellus). See also Neal . Americanized form of Swedish Nilsson and also of the Danish Norwegian and North German cognates Nielsen and Nilsen (compare Nelsen ). Compare also Neilson and Nielson .
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Project also includes: Nelsson, Nelssen, Nilssen, Nilsson, Nielssen, Nielsen, Nielson, Nelsen