Nelson is an English, Scottish, Irish, Northern Irish, Scots-Irish, and Scandinavian surname. It is a patronymic name derived from Nell. The name is also listed as a baptismal name "the son of Eleanor". The name was popularised by Admiral Horatio Nelson as a given name.
Nelson is also an anglicized version of the Scandinavian names Nilsen, Nielsen, and Nilsson. In the United States in 1990, it was ranked as the 39th-most common surname.U.S. Census Bureau; "Frequently Occurring First Names and Surnames From the 1990 Census, (Table) Name Files dist.all.last"; published May 9, 1995;
Notable people with the surname "Nelson" include
A A. C. Nelson (1864–1913), American educator Adam Nelson (born 1975), American shotputter Adolph Lincoln Nelson (1888–??), American inventor Adolphus Peter Nelson (1872–1927), American politician Adriana Nelson (born 1980), American long-distance runner Adrienne Nelson (born 1967), American lawyer and judge A. J. Nelson (born 1985), Ghanaian recording artist Al Nelson (born 1943), American football player Al Nelson (sound engineer), American sound engineer Alberta Nelson (1937–2006), American actress Aleisha-Pearl Nelson (born 1990), New Zealand rugby union player Alexander Nelson (born 1988), British sprinter Alexander Nelson (British Army officer) (1814–1893), British army officer Alexis Nikole Nelson (born 1992), American chef Alice Dunbar Nelson (1875–1935), American poet Allison Nelson (1822–1862), American politician Alondra Nelson (born 1968), American writer Amy Nelson (born 1980), American lawyer Amy K. Nelson (born 1978), American journalist Anne Nelson (born 1954), American journalist Antonya Nelson (born 1961), American author Armando Melgar Nelson (born 1945), Guatemalan footballer Arnett Nelson (1892–1959), American musician Arvell Nelson (born 1988), American football player Aven Nelson (1859–1952), American botanist Avua-Siav Leo Nelson (born 1980), Russian footballer Azumah Nelson (born 1958), Ghanaian boxer
B Baby Face Nelson (1908–1934), American gang member Barrie Nelson (1933–2021), Canadian animator Battling Nelson (1882–1954), Danish-born American boxer Beata Nelson (born 1998), American swimmer Bek Nelson (1927–2015), American model Benjamin Nelson (1911–1977), American sociologist Benny Nelson (born 1941), American football player Bertram Nelson (1905–1984), British accountant Beryce Nelson (born 1947), Australian politician Billie Nelson (1941–1974), British motorcycle racer Billy Bass Nelson (1951–2026), American bass guitarist Blake Nelson (born 1965), American author Boycie Nelson (born 1974), New Zealand rugby league footballer Bradley Nelson (born 1962), American robotist Brady Nelson (born 1978), American businessman Brendan Nelson (born 1958), Australian politician Brittany Nelson (born 1984), American artist Brock Nelson (born 1991), American ice hockey player Brooklyn Nelson (born 2004), American actress Bryan Nelson (born 1958), American politician Bryant Nelson (born 1974), American baseball player Buck Nelson (1895–1982), American farmer Byron Nelson (1912–2006), American golfer
C Caleb Nelson (born 1966), American law professor Caleb Azumah Nelson (born 1993), British-Ghanaian writer Camille A. Nelson (born 1968), Canadian-Jamaican law professor Candace Nelson (born 1974), American chef Candy Nelson (1849–1910), American baseball player Carey Nelson (born 1963), Canadian long-distance runner Carla Nelson (born 1957), American politician Carly Nelson (born 1998), American soccer player Caroline Nelson (1868–1952), Danish-American activist Carter Nelson (born 2005), American football player Cary Nelson (born 1946), American professor Casey Nelson (born 1992), American ice hockey player Catherine Nelson (born 1987), Northern Irish politician Celeste Nelson (born 1976), American scientist Charmaine Nelson (born 1971), Canadian curator Cindy Nelson (born 1955), American alpine skier Cindy Nelson (actress), Australian actress Cirilo Nelson (1938–2020), Honduran botanist Clair Nelson (1940–2019), American politician Cleland Kinloch Nelson (1852–1917), American bishop Cody Nelson (born 1988), Australian rugby league player Cole Nelson (born 1997), Canadian American football player Colette Nelson (born 1974), American bodybuilder Colleen Nelson, Australian scientist Conrad Nelson (born 1964), British actor Cordner Nelson (1918–2009), American publisher Corey Nelson (born 1992), American football player Corky Nelson (1939–2014), American football player and coach Craig Richard Nelson (1947–2025), American actor Craig T. Nelson (born 1944), American actor
D Dale Nelson (1939–1999), Canadian murderer Dana D. Nelson (born 1962), American English professor Daniel Nelson, various people Darby Nelson (1940–2022), American writer and politician Darrin Nelson (born 1959), American football player Daryl Nelson (born 1934), Australian rules footballer Debbie Nelson (1955–2024), American author, mother of rapper Eminem Deborah Nelson (born 1962), American journalist Deborah L. Nelson (born 1962), American academic DeMarcus Nelson (born 1985), Serbian-American basketball player Derrie Nelson (born 1958), American football player Diane Nelson (businesswoman) (born 1968), American business executive Dianne Nelson (born 1954), American writer Don Nelson (1940–2026), American basketball player, coach, and executive Donnie Nelson (born 1962), American basketball executive; son of Don Dorothea Nelson (1903–1994), American librarian Dorothyann Nelson, American figure skater Douglas Nelson (born 1959), American judoka Duke Nelson (1907–1989), American athletic administrator Dwight Nelson (born 1952), Japanese-American pastor Dwight Nelson (politician) (1946–2018), Jamaican politician
E Earle Nelson (1897–1928), American serial killer Eddie J. Nelson, American sound engineer Edith M. Nelson (1889–1942), American librarian Edna Lillian Nelson (1896–1948), Australian doctor Edor Nelson (1914–2014), American athlete Eldon Nelson (1927–2012), American jockey Edward William Nelson (1855–1934), American naturalist and ethnologist Elimu Nelson (born 1973), American actor Eliza Nelson (born 1956), Indian field hockey player Elmer C. Nelson (1900–1975), American politician Emily Nelson (born 1996), English cyclist Emmett Nelson (1905–1967), American baseball player Erich Nelson (1897–1980), German artist Erven T. Nelson (born 1956), American lawyer and politician Esther Nelson (1810–1843), Manx poet Evelyn Nelson (1899–1923), American actress Evelyn Nelson (mathematician) (1943–1987), Canadian mathematician Everett Nelson, American baseball player
F Frances Nelson (1758–1831), English public figure Frances Nelson (actress) (1892–1975), American actress Franklin Nelson (1933–2019), American figure skater Fraser Nelson (born 1973), British journalist Fred Nelson (1934–2018), Australian rugby league footballer Frederick Nelson (1932–2009), American engineering professor
G Gail S. Nelson (born 1959), American mathematician Garnett Nelson (1872–1930), American football coach Garrett Nelson (born 2000), American football player Garry Nelson (born 1961), English footballer Gaylord Nelson (1916–2005), American politician Gene Nelson (1920–1996), American dancer Gene Nelson (baseball) (born 1960), American baseball player Gerald Nelson (born 1941), South African cricketer Gil Nelson (born 1949), American botanist Glen Nelson, American poet G. Lynn Nelson (1937–2014), American author G. M. Nelson (1899–1983), American politician Gord Nelson (born 1947), Canadian ice hockey player Gordon M. Nelson (1941–1993), American political activist Graham Nelson (born 1968), British mathematician and poet Grant Nelson (disambiguation), multiple people Gray Nelson (1927–2022), New Zealand public servant Gunvor Nelson (1931–2025), Swedish filmmaker and artist Guy Nelson (1900–1969), English cricketer G. W. Nelson, American politician Gwen Nelson (1901–1990), English actress
H Hank Nelson (1937–2012), Australian historian Harriet Nelson (1909–1994), American singer Harris Nelson (1835–1883), Australian businessman and politician Harvey Frans Nelson Jr. (1924–2021), American diplomat Havelock Nelson (1917–1996), Irish composer Havelock Nelson (writer) (born 1964), Guyanese journalist Haywood Nelson (born 1960), American actor H. C. Nelson (1886–1939), American politician Helena Nelson (born 1953), Scottish poet Herm Nelson (born 1961), American racewalker H. G. P. Nelson (1932–2001), Sri Lankan politician Hilaree Nelson (born 1972), American ski mountaineer Holly Nelson, Canadian writer and activist Horace Nelson (1878–1962), American politician Horatia Nelson (1801–1881), British public figure Hub Nelson (1907–1981), American ice hockey player
I Ira Schreiber Nelson (1912–1965), American botanist Irene Nelson (born 1962), Russian recording artist Isaac Nelson (1809–1888), Irish politician and minister Isaac De Groff Nelson (1810–1891), American politician Ivory V. Nelson (born 1934), American educator Izaiyah Nelson (born 2003), American basketball player
J Jackson Nelson (born 1996), Australian rules footballer Jacob Broughton Nelson (1898–?), American fraternity founder Jacqui Nelson (born 1965), New Zealand cyclist Jameer Nelson (born 1982), American basketball player Jamie Nelson (born 1959), American baseball player Jamie Lindemann Nelson (born 1954), American philosopher Jan Nelson (born 1955), Australian artist Janai Nelson (born 1971), American lawyer Jandy Nelson (born 1965), American author Jane Nelson (born 1951), American politician Janet Nelson (1942–2024), British historian Jason Nelson (poet) (born 1981), American poet Jason Nelson (musician) (born 1974), American musician Jaxon Nelson (born 2000), American ice hockey player Jay Nelson (born 1970), American video editor Jayden Nelson (born 2002), Canadian soccer player Jenny Nelson, British physics professor Jeremiah Nelson (1769–1838), American politician Jeremy Nelson, American visual artist Jermy Nelson (born 1994), Jamaican footballer Jerry Nelson (1934–2012), American puppeteer Jerry Nelson (astronomer) (1944–2017), American astronomer Jesy Nelson (born 1991), British singer Jez Nelson (born 1964), British radio broadcaster Jill Nelson (born 1952), American journalist J. J. Nelson (born 1992), American football player Joan Nelson (born 1958), American visual artist Joanna Nelson, American ecologist Jock Nelson (1908–1991), Australian politician Joe Nelson (born 1974), American baseball player Joel Nelson (born 1945), American poet Johnny Nelson (born 1967), British boxer Jordy Nelson (born 1985), American football player Jorel Nelson (born 1992), American professional wrestler Josh Nelson (born 1978), American pianist Josie Nelson (born 2002), English cyclist Juanita Morrow Nelson (1923–2015), American activist Judd Nelson (born 1959), American actor Judith Nelson (1939–2012), American soprano Judy Nelson, American author and social figure Julia Bullard Nelson (1842–1914), American activist Julia D. Nelson (1863–1936), American politician Julio Jorge Nelson (1913–1976), Argentine musician Justin L. Nelson (born 1978), American Army Veteran Justus Henry Nelson (1850–1937), American missionary
K Kameron Nelson (gymnast), American gymnast Kameron Nelson (politician), American politician Karen Nelson (athlete) (born 1963), Canadian hurler Karen E. Nelson, Jamaican-American microbiologist Karl Nelson (born 1960), American football player Katherine Nelson (1930–2018), American psychologist Katherine Greacen Nelson (1913–1982), American geologist Kay Nelson (1909–2003), American costume designer Kemba Nelson (born 2000), Jamaican sprinter Kemi Nelson (1956–2022), Nigerian politician Kent C. Nelson, American businessman Kim Nelson (1958–2015), Australian artist