2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Bertilson
An ancient Scandinavian surname derived from a Germanic name meaning "bright wolf".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Bertilson. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bertilson surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Bertilson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bertilson, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bertilson
The surname Bertilson has its origins in Sweden, stemming from the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old Norse personal name Bertil, which is a combination of the elements "berht" meaning "bright" and "vili" meaning "will" or "desire." The suffix "-son" indicates the patronymic naming tradition, meaning "son of Bertil."
Bertilson was initially found in rural areas of central Sweden, particularly in the provinces of Västmanland and Dalarna. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 14th century, appearing in church records and local charters.
In the 16th century, a prominent figure bearing the name Bertilson was Olof Bertilson, a wealthy landowner and farmer in Västmanland. He was known for his substantial landholdings and influential role in the local community during the mid-1500s.
Another notable individual was Erik Bertilson, a skilled blacksmith who lived in Dalarna during the late 17th century. His craftsmanship and metalwork were highly sought after, and he was recognized for his contributions to the region's metalworking tradition.
In the 18th century, the Bertilson name gained further recognition with Karin Bertilson, a renowned folk artist and painter from Dalarna. Her intricate and vibrant paintings depicting traditional Swedish life and landscapes were widely acclaimed, and her works can be found in various museums and private collections.
Moving into the 19th century, Johan Bertilson, born in 1823 in Västmanland, was a prominent educator and advocate for educational reforms. He played a pivotal role in establishing several schools in the region and advocated for improved access to education, particularly in rural areas.
Another significant figure was Carl Bertilson, born in 1867 in Dalarna, who was a pioneering engineer and inventor. He held several patents for innovative machinery and mechanisms, contributing to the industrial development of Sweden during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
While the Bertilson surname has its roots in Sweden, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and immigration. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the Swedish tradition and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bertilson
Among Census respondents with the surname Bertilson, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bertilson bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bertilson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bertilson
Bertilson appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+10 bearers (+9.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,047 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.9%) | Up 11,047 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bertilson surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #159,712 | #148,665 | 6.9% |
| Count | 101 | 111 | 9.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 23.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bertilson bearers went from 101 to 111 (+9.9% change). The surname moved up 11,047 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #148,665.
FAQ
Bertilson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bertilson?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Bertilson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Bertilson?
Bertilson ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Bertilson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bertilson.
Has Bertilson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bertilson went from 101 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 10 (+9.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Bertilson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bertilson, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bertilson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bertilson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.6%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bertilson (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bertilson mean?
An ancient Scandinavian surname derived from a Germanic name meaning "bright wolf". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bertilson (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Bertilson?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.