Aardema last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Aardema is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Aardema.

Meaning of Aardema

Dutch occupational surname derived from aarde, meaning "earth" or "soil," likely referring to someone who worked with earth or clay.

Aardema, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Aardema surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Aardema in America

Aardema is the 49546th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Aardema surname appeared 424 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Aardema.

We can also compare 2010 data for Aardema to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 49546 51119 -3.13%
Count 424 383 10.16%
Proportion per 100k 0.14 0.14 0.00%

The history of the last name Aardema

The surname Aardema originates from the Netherlands, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have evolved from the Dutch word "aarde," meaning "earth" or "soil," combined with the suffix "-ma," indicating a connection to a place or occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Aardema surname can be found in the Dutch province of Friesland, where it was closely tied to farming communities. The name likely referred to individuals who worked with or lived on fertile land, reflecting the agricultural heritage of the region.

In the 17th century, historical records show the Aardema name appearing in various Dutch municipalities, including Amsterdam and Leiden. This suggests that families bearing this surname had begun to spread across the Netherlands, possibly due to economic opportunities or migration patterns.

During the Dutch Golden Age, a notable figure named Jan Aardema (1588-1647) gained recognition as a skilled cartographer and engraver. His intricate maps and illustrations of the Dutch Republic and its territories were highly prized for their accuracy and artistic quality.

In the 18th century, the Aardema surname made its way to other parts of Europe, including Germany and the Scandinavian countries. This diaspora was likely driven by trade, exploration, and the pursuit of new opportunities beyond the Netherlands.

One prominent individual from this era was Henrik Aardema (1723-1789), a Dutch merchant and explorer who established trade routes between the Netherlands and the East Indies. His journals and accounts provide valuable insights into the commercial activities and cultural exchanges of that period.

As the 19th century dawned, the Aardema name continued to spread globally, with families settling in various parts of the world, including the Americas and Australia. Pieter Aardema (1814-1878), a Dutch immigrant to the United States, became a successful farmer and landowner in the Midwest, contributing to the agricultural development of the region.

Another notable figure was Johanna Aardema (1867-1942), a Dutch-born Australian author and activist who advocated for women's rights and social reforms in the early 20th century. Her writings and speeches played a significant role in shaping the feminist movement in Australia.

Throughout its history, the Aardema surname has been associated with a diverse range of professions and achievements, from agriculture and cartography to exploration and literature, reflecting the versatility and adaptability of those who bear this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Aardema

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Aardema.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Aardema was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 96.93% 411
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin 2.59% 11

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Aardema has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 96.93% 99.22% -2.33%
Black 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Hispanic 2.59% (S)% (S)%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Aardema was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Aardema, please contact us.

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Aardema last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 27, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/aardema-surname-popularity/.

"Aardema last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/aardema-surname-popularity/. Accessed 27 July, 2024

Aardema last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/aardema-surname-popularity/.

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