2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Bjerklie
A Scandinavian surname derived from a topographic name referring to a birch meadow or clearing.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Bjerklie. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bjerklie 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Bjerklie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bjerklie, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bjerklie
The surname Bjerklie originates from Norway, with its roots dating back to the Medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "bjǫrk," meaning birch tree, and the suffix "-lie," which signifies a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals residing in a settlement near a birch tree-lined meadow.
The earliest known record of the Bjerklie name appears in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian diplomas and documents. A certain Thorbjoern Bjerklie is mentioned in a land transaction dated 1342, indicating the presence of this surname in the region during that time.
One of the earliest notable figures bearing the Bjerklie name was Nils Bjerklie, a Norwegian farmer and landowner who lived in the late 15th century. Historical records indicate that he owned a substantial plot of land in the Gudbrandsdalen valley, which remained in the Bjerklie family for generations.
In the 17th century, the name Bjerklie gained prominence with the rise of Peder Bjerklie, a respected Lutheran minister who served in the parish of Ål, located in the present-day county of Hallingdal. His son, Halvor Bjerklie, followed in his footsteps and became a prominent theologian and author, publishing several influential works on religious doctrine.
During the 19th century, the Bjerklie name spread beyond Norway's borders as some members of the family emigrated to the United States and Canada. One such individual was Ingrid Bjerklie, who left Norway in 1872 and settled in Minnesota, where she became a respected community leader and advocate for Norwegian immigrants.
Another notable figure with the Bjerklie surname was Olav Bjerklie, a Norwegian military officer who served with distinction in World War II. He played a crucial role in the Norwegian resistance movement against the German occupation and was awarded the War Cross with Sword for his bravery and leadership.
Throughout its history, the Bjerklie name has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, clergy, authors, military personnel, and community leaders. While its origins can be traced back to the birch-lined meadows of medieval Norway, the name has since spread across the globe, carrying with it a rich heritage and a legacy of resilience and achievement.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bjerklie
Among Census respondents with the surname Bjerklie, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bjerklie 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 Bjerklie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 112
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bjerklie
Bjerklie 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
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+17 bearers (+16.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 16,201 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 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +17 bearers (+16.8%) | Up 16,201 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 Bjerklie 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 | #143,511 | 10.1% |
| Count | 101 | 118 | 16.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 31.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bjerklie bearers went from 101 to 118 (+16.8% change). The surname moved up 16,201 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #143,511.
FAQ
Bjerklie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bjerklie?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Bjerklie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Bjerklie?
Bjerklie ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Bjerklie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Bjerklie.
Has Bjerklie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bjerklie went from 101 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 17 (+16.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Bjerklie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bjerklie, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) 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 Bjerklie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bjerklie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Two or More Races (2.5%), 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 Bjerklie (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 Bjerklie mean?
A Scandinavian surname derived from a topographic name referring to a birch meadow or clearing. 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 Bjerklie (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 share the surname Bjerklie?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.