2000
#10,869
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,691
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.00
Rare Last name
Braaten
Norwegian habitational surname derived from any of several farmsteads named Bråten, meaning "newly cultivated land" or "steep hillside."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,205 Americans carry the last name Braaten. That puts it at #10,888 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.94 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 106,944 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Braaten 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
3.2K
1 in 106,944
Census rank
#10,888
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,795 bearers of the surname Braaten in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.94 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10888th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Braaten, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Braaten
The surname Braaten is of Norwegian origin, originating from the village of Bråten in Østerdalen, Norway. The name likely emerged around the 13th century, derived from the Old Norse word "brāta," meaning a small farm or clearing.
The earliest recorded instances of the Braaten surname can be traced back to the 15th century in various Norwegian parish records and census documents. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include Arne Braaten, born in 1462 in Rendalen, and Ingrid Braaten, born in 1489 in Tolga.
In the 16th century, the Braaten surname appeared in several legal documents and land deeds, indicating the family's involvement in agricultural and farming activities. Notably, Olav Braaten, born in 1521 in Tynset, was a prominent landowner and farmer in the region.
By the 17th century, the Braaten name had spread to other parts of Norway, with several bearers of the name mentioned in church records and local histories. One notable figure from this period was Erik Braaten, born in 1642 in Trondheim, who was a respected merchant and trader.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Braaten surname continued to be associated with farming and rural life in Norway. Some notable individuals from this period include Nils Braaten, born in 1754 in Rendalen, who was a respected farmer and community leader, and Ingrid Braaten, born in 1821 in Tolga, who was known for her exceptional skills in traditional Norwegian handicrafts.
As the 19th century progressed, the Braaten name also began to appear in other parts of Scandinavia, as well as in North America, where many Norwegians emigrated. One notable example is Hans Braaten, born in 1865 in Rendalen, who later settled in Minnesota, USA, and became a successful farmer and community leader.
Throughout its history, the Braaten surname has been closely tied to its Norwegian roots, with many bearers of the name continuing to carry on the traditions and values associated with rural life and agriculture in Norway.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Braaten
Among Census respondents with the surname Braaten, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Braaten 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 Braaten surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 2,608
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 70
- Two or more races2.5% · 69
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 14
- Black or African American0.4% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Braaten
Braaten appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#11,035
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,881
+190 bearers (+7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.98
Rank movement Down 166 places
2020
#10,888
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,795
-86 bearers (-3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.94
Rank movement Up 147 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,869 | 2,691 | 1.00 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,035 | 2,881 | 0.98 | +190 bearers (+7.1%) | Down 166 places |
| 2020 | #10,888 | 2,795 | 0.94 | -86 bearers (-3.0%) | Up 147 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 Braaten 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 | #11,035 | #10,888 | 1.3% |
| Count | 2,881 | 2,795 | -3.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.98 | 0.94 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Braaten bearers went from 2,881 to 2,795 (-3.0% change). The surname moved up 147 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,035 to #10,888.
FAQ
Braaten surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Braaten?
Name Census estimates that about 3,205 living Americans carry the surname Braaten. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 106,944 residents.
How common is Braaten?
Braaten ranks #10,888 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.94 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,795 people with the surname Braaten. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,205), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.94 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.94 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Braaten.
Has Braaten become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Braaten went from 2,881 recorded bearers to 2,795. That is a decrease of 86 (-3.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,035 to #10,888.
What does the Census say about the background of Braaten?
Among Census respondents with the surname Braaten, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Braaten in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (2,608 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Braaten appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Braaten (2000, 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 Braaten mean?
Norwegian habitational surname derived from any of several farmsteads named Bråten, meaning "newly cultivated land" or "steep hillside." 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 Braaten (0.94 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 last name Braaten?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Braaten on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.