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

Bjorn, 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 Bjorn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bjorn in America

Bjorn is the 45412th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bjorn surname appeared 471 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bjorn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bjorn to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bjorn

The surname Bjorn has its origins in the Old Norse language and is derived from the word "björn" meaning "bear." It is a name that has been in use in Scandinavia for centuries, particularly in countries like Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Bjorn can be traced back to the Viking Age, which lasted from the late 8th century to the late 11th century. During this period, many Scandinavian explorers, traders, and warriors ventured out across Europe and beyond, often taking their surnames with them.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Bjorn was Bjorn Ironside, a legendary Viking who lived in the 9th century. According to Norse sagas, Bjorn Ironside was a son of the famous Swedish king Ragnar Lodbrok and participated in various raids and battles across Europe.

Another notable figure with the surname Bjorn was Bjorn Haraldsson, who reigned as the King of Sweden from 1248 to 1266. Bjorn Haraldsson played a significant role in the consolidation of royal power in Sweden and is credited with establishing the city of Stockholm as the country's capital.

In the 13th century, a Norwegian chieftain named Bjorn Brynjulfsson is recorded as having participated in the Battle of Largs against the Scottish forces. This battle, which took place in 1263, marked the end of the Norwegian campaign to conquer parts of Scotland.

Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, Bjorn Bjornson was a celebrated Norwegian poet, novelist, and playwright who lived from 1832 to 1910. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Norwegian literature and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1903.

In more recent times, Bjorn Borg, the Swedish tennis player, achieved legendary status for his remarkable career spanning the 1970s and early 1980s. Born in 1956, Borg won 11 Grand Slam singles titles, including five consecutive Wimbledon Championships, before retiring at the age of 26.

While the surname Bjorn has its roots in Scandinavia, it has since spread to various other parts of the world, particularly through migration and cultural exchange. However, it remains closely tied to its Norse origins and continues to be a proud reminder of the rich Viking heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bjorn

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

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 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bjorn 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bjorn has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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

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

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