2000
#112,365
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 145
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Brodahl
A Norwegian surname derived from a farm or location name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 173 Americans carry the last name Brodahl. That puts it at #120,768 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,981,239 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Brodahl 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
173
1 in 1,981,239
Census rank
#120,768
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
151
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 151 bearers of the surname Brodahl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 120768th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Brodahl, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (5.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Brodahl
The surname "BRODAHL" originates from Norway and is believed to have roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old Norse words "bro," meaning "bridge," and "dal," meaning "valley." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a bridge in a valley or a similar geographical location.
The earliest known record of the name "BRODAHL" can be traced back to the "Diplomatarium Norvegicum," a collection of medieval Norwegian documents from the 12th to the 16th centuries. In these records, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Brodal," "Brodahl," and "Brodalen."
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname "BRODAHL" was Arne Brodahl, a prominent Norwegian merchant and landowner who lived in the late 15th century. Another historical figure was Ingrid Brodahl, a Norwegian noblewoman from the 16th century, known for her philanthropic work and support of the Protestant Reformation.
In the 17th century, the name "BRODAHL" appears in the records of the city of Bergen, where a family of merchants and traders bearing this surname was particularly influential. One member of this family, Hans Brodahl (1632-1701), was a successful merchant and ship owner who played a significant role in the city's maritime trade.
The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals with the surname "BRODAHL" in various fields. Nils Brodahl (1710-1778) was a renowned Norwegian architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Baroque style. Another prominent figure was Karen Brodahl (1745-1823), a writer and poet whose works were celebrated for their lyrical beauty and exploration of themes related to nature and rural life.
In the 19th century, the name "BRODAHL" continued to be associated with influential Norwegians. One such figure was Christian Brodahl (1812-1892), a Lutheran minister and educator who played a significant role in the development of Norway's education system. Additionally, Peder Brodahl (1839-1917) was a respected lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Norwegian Parliament.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Brodahl
Among Census respondents with the surname Brodahl, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (5.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Brodahl 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 Brodahl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.8% · 125
- Hispanic or Latino9.3% · 14
- Two or more races5.3% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Brodahl
Brodahl 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
#118,853
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 146
+1 bearers (+0.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 6,488 places
2020
#120,768
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 151
+5 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 1,915 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #112,365 | 145 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #118,853 | 146 | 0.05 | +1 bearers (+0.7%) | Down 6,488 places |
| 2020 | #120,768 | 151 | 0.05 | +5 bearers (+3.4%) | Down 1,915 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 Brodahl 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 | #118,853 | #120,768 | -1.6% |
| Count | 146 | 151 | 3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 1.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Brodahl bearers went from 146 to 151 (+3.4% change). The surname moved down 1,915 positions in the national ranking, going from #118,853 to #120,768.
FAQ
Brodahl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Brodahl?
Name Census estimates that about 173 living Americans carry the surname Brodahl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,981,239 residents.
How common is Brodahl?
Brodahl ranks #120,768 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 151 people with the surname Brodahl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (173), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Brodahl.
Has Brodahl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Brodahl went from 146 recorded bearers to 151. That is an increase of 5 (+3.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #118,853 to #120,768.
What does the Census say about the background of Brodahl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Brodahl, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (5.3%). 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 Brodahl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.8% (125 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Brodahl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.8%), Hispanic (9.3%), Two or More Races (5.3%). 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 Brodahl (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 Brodahl mean?
A Norwegian surname derived from a farm or location name. 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 Brodahl (0.05 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 Brodahl?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.