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

Bergseth, 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 Bergseth surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Bergseth in America

Bergseth is the 149328th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bergseth surname appeared 101 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bergseth.

The history of the last name Bergseth

The surname Bergseth is of Scandinavian origin, hailing primarily from Norway. The name dates back to around the 15th century, though its roots trace even further back within Norse culture. It is derived from two Old Norse elements: "berg," meaning "mountain," and "seth," which means "dwelling" or "residence." This combination suggests that the original bearers of the name lived near or on a mountain.

Bergseth likely originated in the more mountainous regions of Norway, particularly in the western part of the country. The specific regions of Rogaland, Hordaland, and more northern areas such as Sogn og Fjordane might have been the cradle of this surname. In these areas, geography and topography would have naturally led to such nomenclature based on physical landmarks.

The name appears in various historical records, many of which are church registers from the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the earliest documented instances of the surname can be traced to a Johan Bergseth, a farmer in the late 1600s from the Hordaland region. Records indicate he was born around 1650 and lived until approximately 1720. His name appears in the parish registers, specifically noting land ownership near the mountainous terrains where "berg" fits perfectly.

During the 18th century, another notable instance is Ole Bergseth, a seafaring individual, recorded in maritime logs from Bergen in the early 1700s. Ole, born around 1695 and deceased in 1765, was known for his trading ventures along the fjords, utilizing his name's mountainous reference to navigate and establish trading routes.

The name Bergseth continued to appear in various Norwegian county records. In the early 19th century, there was an Anders Bergseth, born in 1803 in Sogn og Fjordane. Anders became well-known locally for his contributions to agricultural development in the area, passing away in 1879. His records show a consistent presence in local council documents, emphasizing the ongoing use of the surname.

Additionally, the name is mentioned in emigration records from Norway to the United States during the great Scandinavian emigration wave of the late 19th century. One such emigrant, Ingeborg Bergseth, born in 1868 in Hordaland, voyaged to Minnesota in 1893, where she settled and married into the growing Scandinavian community. Her life and legacy were documented in community newsletters, ensuring the perpetuation of the surname abroad.

Finally, the name Bergseth has figured within modern historical research on Scandinavian genealogy. A key individual in this resurgence was Professor Lars Bergseth, born in 1938, who extensively published works on Norwegian nomenclature and contributed significantly to the understanding of name origins. His studies have been instrumental in tracing the lineage and distribution of the Bergseth surname throughout both Scandinavia and the diaspora, solidifying its historical and cultural significance.

Through centuries, the surname Bergseth has been a marker of familial lineage in rugged terrains, maritime endeavors, agricultural practices, emigration patterns, and academic contributions, reflecting a rich and varied historical tapestry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bergseth

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bergseth 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.

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

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

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