2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bjerga
A Scandinavian locational surname referring to someone who lived by or near a mountain or hill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Bjerga. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bjerga 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Bjerga in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bjerga, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bjerga
The surname BJERGA is of Norwegian origin, with its roots traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old Norse word "bjarg," which means "cliff" or "rocky outcrop." The name was likely used to identify individuals who lived near or on a prominent cliff or rocky area.
In the early historical records, the name was often spelled as "Bjerge" or "Bjerghe," reflecting the local dialects and variations in spelling conventions at the time. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents dating back to the 12th century.
During the 15th century, the name BJERGA gained prominence in the Gudbrandsdalen region of Norway, particularly in the areas surrounding the town of Lillehammer. Records from this period show several families bearing the name, suggesting their influence and presence in the local community.
Notable individuals with the surname BJERGA include:
1. Olav Bjerga (1558-1632), a prominent Norwegian farmer and landowner from the Gudbrandsdalen region, known for his extensive landholdings and influence in local affairs.
2. Ingrid Bjerga (1675-1749), a skilled weaver and textile artisan whose works were highly sought after by the local nobility and clergy.
3. Nils Bjerga (1789-1867), a respected educator and headmaster of the Lillehammer Skole (School) in the early 19th century, known for his innovative teaching methods and dedication to the education of the local youth.
4. Knut Bjerga (1852-1924), a Norwegian explorer and adventurer who participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions, contributing to the study of the region's geography and climate.
5. Marit Bjerga (1901-1988), a renowned Norwegian artist and painter, whose works depicting the landscapes and rural life of Gudbrandsdalen gained widespread acclaim and recognition.
While the surname BJERGA has its origins in Norway, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, the historical records and documented instances of the name remain most prevalent in the Norwegian context, particularly in the regions of Gudbrandsdalen and the surrounding areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bjerga
Among Census respondents with the surname Bjerga, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bjerga 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 Bjerga surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0% · 107
- Two or more races3.5% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bjerga
Bjerga 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
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 444 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Up 444 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 Bjerga 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 | #146,201 | #145,757 | 0.3% |
| Count | 113 | 115 | 1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bjerga bearers went from 113 to 115 (+1.8% change). The surname moved up 444 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #145,757.
FAQ
Bjerga surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bjerga?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Bjerga. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Bjerga?
Bjerga ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Bjerga. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Bjerga.
Has Bjerga become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bjerga went from 113 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 2 (+1.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Bjerga?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bjerga, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Bjerga in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.0% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bjerga appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.0%), Two or More Races (3.5%), Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Bjerga (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 Bjerga mean?
A Scandinavian locational surname referring to someone who lived by or near a mountain or hill. 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 Bjerga (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 common is the surname Bjerga?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Bjerga on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.