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

Ahlstrom, 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 Ahlstrom surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ahlstrom in America

Ahlstrom is the 16273rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ahlstrom surname appeared 1,772 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Ahlstrom.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ahlstrom 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.

The history of the last name Ahlstrom

The surname Ahlstrom originates from Sweden and dates back to the 17th century. It is derived from the Swedish words "ahl" meaning alder tree, and "strom" meaning stream, suggesting the name was initially given to someone who lived near an alder stream or brook.

Ahlstrom is a typical locational surname, originating from a specific place or geographic feature. It was not uncommon for people in medieval times to adopt surnames based on where they resided or worked. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Swedish Church records from the late 1600s, with variations including Ahlstrohm and Alstrohm.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Ahlstrom name was Johan Ahlstrom, born in 1712 in Västergötland, Sweden. He was a farmer and landowner in the village of Alingsås. Another notable individual was Anders Ahlstrom, a Swedish soldier who fought in the Great Northern War (1700-1721) under King Charles XII.

In the 19th century, the Ahlstrom family established themselves as prominent industrialists and entrepreneurs. Jonas Ahlstrom (1804-1876) founded the Ahlstrom paper mill in Noormarkku, Finland, which became one of the largest paper manufacturing companies in the Nordic region. His son, Walter Ahlstrom (1835-1901), expanded the family business and was a prominent philanthropist, supporting education and cultural initiatives.

Another notable bearer of the Ahlstrom name was Olof Ahlstrom (1867-1949), a Swedish engineer and inventor who developed the first successful centrifugal milk separator. This innovation revolutionized the dairy industry and earned him international recognition.

In the 20th century, the Ahlstrom name gained further prominence with individuals such as Göran Ahlstrom (1920-2010), a Swedish businessman and industrialist who served as the CEO of the Ahlstrom Corporation for many years, and Elsa Ahlstrom (1894-1978), a Swedish artist and sculptor known for her modernist works.

While the Ahlstrom surname has its roots in Sweden, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration and the expansion of the family businesses. Today, the name can be found in various countries, carrying with it a rich history and legacy spanning several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ahlstrom

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

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 Ahlstrom was:

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 Ahlstrom has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Ahlstrom was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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