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

Asen, 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 Asen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Asen in America

Asen is the 105600th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Asen surname appeared 169 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 Asen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Asen 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 Asen

The surname ASEN is of Bulgarian origin, believed to have emerged in the late 12th century during the reign of the Asen dynasty, a royal house that ruled the Second Bulgarian Empire from 1185 to 1257. The name is thought to be derived from the Slavic word "asen," meaning "nobleman" or "aristocrat."

One of the earliest recorded uses of the surname ASEN can be found in medieval Bulgarian chronicles and manuscripts, which document the exploits of the Asen brothers, Ivan Asen I and Peter Asen, who led a successful uprising against the Byzantine Empire and established the Second Bulgarian Empire. Ivan Asen I (c. 1189-1196) and Peter Asen (c. 1185-1197) are considered national heroes in Bulgaria for their role in restoring Bulgarian independence.

The surname ASEN gained prominence during the Asen dynasty, with several rulers bearing the name, including Ivan Asen II (c. 1218-1241), who expanded the boundaries of the Second Bulgarian Empire and is credited with cultural and economic reforms. Other notable figures from this period include Kaloyan Asen (c. 1197-1207), who defeated the armies of the Latin Empire and the Hungarian Kingdom, and Michael Asen I (c. 1246-1256), who fought against the Mongol invasions.

In later centuries, the surname ASEN continued to be used by nobility and prominent families in Bulgaria, with some variations in spelling, such as Assenov or Asenov. One notable figure was Stefan Asen V (c. 1279-1300), the last ruler of the Asen dynasty, who struggled to maintain the integrity of the Bulgarian Empire against external threats.

Beyond Bulgaria, the surname ASEN has also been found in historical records and documents from neighboring regions, such as Macedonia and Serbia, likely due to migration and intermarriage among noble families. However, it remains predominantly associated with Bulgarian heritage and the legacy of the Asen dynasty, which played a pivotal role in shaping the country's history and national identity.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname ASEN have achieved recognition in various fields, including Ivan Asen III (c. 1337-1349), a ruler of the Second Bulgarian Empire known for his efforts to revive the country's prosperity, and Petar Asen (1857-1936), a Bulgarian writer and poet who helped promote the use of the modern Bulgarian language in literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Asen

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

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

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

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