Where does “Olsen” come from?
Olsen (Norwegian) comes from Norwegian Olav, from Old Norse Óláfr, from Proto-Norse ᚨᚾᚢᛚᚨᛁᛒᚨᛉ, from Proto-Germanic anulaibaz, from Proto-Germanic laibō, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
Ancestry of “Olsen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Norwegian | Olav | — |
| 2 | Old Norse | Óláfr | — |
| 3 | Proto-Norse | ᚨᚾᚢᛚᚨᛁᛒᚨᛉ | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | anulaibaz | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | laibō | what is left, remainder, remnant |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | leyp- | to stick; fat or sticky substance |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |