Bjorklund
A Swedish habitational surname derived from words meaning "birch grove" or "birch forest."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,948 Americans carry the last name Bjorklund. That puts it at #12,261 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.86 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 116,267 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bjorklund surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
2.9K
1 in 116,267
Census rank
#12,261
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,537 bearers of the surname Bjorklund in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.86 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12261st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bjorklund, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.5%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bjorklund
Bjorklund is a Swedish surname with origins dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the Old Swedish words "bjork" meaning birch tree, and "lund" meaning grove or meadow. This suggests the name may have originated as a place name referring to a birch grove or meadow.
The earliest recorded instances of the Bjorklund surname can be traced back to parish records from the province of Dalarna in central Sweden during the late 1500s. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include Nils Bjorklund (born 1587) and Erik Bjorklund (born 1598) from the parish of Mora.
Over the next few centuries, the Bjorklund name gradually spread across Sweden, particularly in the central and northern regions. It became a common surname among farmers, woodsmen, and those living in rural areas near birch groves or meadows.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the Bjorklund surname was Johan Bjorklund (1693-1767), a Swedish Lutheran clergyman and author who served as a vicar in the parish of Leksand. Another early figure was Anders Bjorklund (1785-1859), a Swedish farmer and politician who served as a member of the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) in the early 19th century.
As the Bjorklund name spread through Sweden, variations in spelling emerged, including Björklund, Bjørklund, and Bjorkelund. Some of these variations reflect regional dialects and language differences between Swedish and Norwegian.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, several Bjorklunds achieved recognition in various fields. These include:
1. Johan Alfred Bjorklund (1839-1923), a Swedish-American landscape painter known for his depictions of the American West.
2. Ingrid Bjorklund (1897-1981), a Swedish author and children's book writer who received the Astrid Lindgren Prize in 1971.
3. Arne Bjorklund (1923-2005), a Swedish chemist and professor who made significant contributions to the study of organic semiconductors.
4. Goran Bjorklund (born 1949), a Swedish football player who represented the Swedish national team and played in the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
5. Eva Bjorklund (born 1957), a Swedish singer and songwriter best known for representing Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1987.
While the Bjorklund surname has its roots in Sweden, it has since spread globally through immigration and diaspora communities, particularly in North America and other parts of Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bjorklund
Among Census respondents with the surname Bjorklund, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.5%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bjorklund bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Bjorklund surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.2%
- Two or more races1.5%
- Hispanic or Latino0.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
- Black or African American0.2%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Bjorklund surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,573 | #12,261 | -5.9% |
| Count | 2,491 | 2,537 | 1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.92 | 0.86 | -6.5% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Bjorklund bearers went from 2,491 to 2,537 (+1.8% change). The surname moved down 688 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,573 to #12,261.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bjorklund
FAQ
Bjorklund surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Bjorklund?
The surname Bjorklund holds position #12,261 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,948 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.86 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Bjorklund surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bjorklund, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.5%) and Hispanic (0.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.