Karlsen Surname Meaning & Coat of Arms

Seen on a birth certificate or a ship's manifest, Karlsen is usually a form of Carlsen.

What is the meaning of Karlsen?

Read literally, Karlsen points to “Son of Carl”. 599 Americans were listed as Karlsen in the 2010 census.

How is Karlsen related to Carlsen?

The two spellings differ in a small detail: Karlsen has “k” where Carlsen has “c”. Regional accents shaped spellings long before dictionaries fixed them. Related forms: Carlsson and Carlsohn.

Is there a Karlsen coat of arms?

A coat of arms belongs to a particular family line rather than to everyone named Karlsen, so the heraldry linked to Carlsen is a starting point, not an automatic right.

Want more than a summary? See the Karlsen family name pack.