2000
#122,534
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Carlander
Swedish surname derived from the Old Norse elements "karl" (man) and "ander" (duck), possibly referring to a person living near wetlands.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Carlander. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Carlander 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Carlander in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Carlander, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Carlander
The surname Carlander is of Swedish origin, emerging in the late 17th century. It is derived from the combination of the Swedish words "carl" meaning a free peasant, and "ander" meaning a spirit or ghost. The earliest known recording of the name dates back to 1692, appearing in a parish register in the Småland region of southern Sweden.
The name is believed to have originated from a farm or homestead known as Carlander, located in the village of Döderhult, Småland. This area was renowned for its folklore and tales of supernatural beings, which may have influenced the naming of the farm and subsequently the family name.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Carlander surname was Nils Carlander, born in 1712 in Döderhult. He was a farmer and landowner, whose descendants continued to reside in the area for several generations.
In the late 18th century, the Carlander family expanded beyond Småland, with some members relocating to other parts of Sweden, particularly the capital, Stockholm. Johan Carlander, born in 1781 in Döderhult, became a successful merchant in Stockholm and was instrumental in establishing the family's presence in the city.
Another notable figure with the Carlander surname was Erik Carlander, born in 1842 in Döderhult. He was a prolific writer and poet, known for his contributions to Swedish literature during the Romantic era. His works often drew inspiration from the folklore and natural beauty of his native Småland region.
In the 20th century, Gustaf Carlander, born in 1914 in Stockholm, gained recognition as a prominent architect. He was responsible for designing several landmark buildings in Stockholm, including the Kulturhuset and the Skansen Aquarium.
While the Carlander surname is relatively uncommon outside of Sweden, it has been carried by individuals across various professions and backgrounds throughout history, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of its Swedish origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Carlander
Among Census respondents with the surname Carlander, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (2.5%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Carlander 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 Carlander surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0% · 114
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.5% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Carlander
Carlander 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
#126,765
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
+5 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 4,231 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-15 bearers (-11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,284 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #122,534 | 130 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #126,765 | 135 | 0.05 | +5 bearers (+3.8%) | Down 4,231 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.1%) | Down 15,284 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 Carlander 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 | #126,765 | #142,049 | -12.1% |
| Count | 135 | 120 | -11.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Carlander bearers went from 135 to 120 (-11.1% change). The surname moved down 15,284 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,765 to #142,049.
FAQ
Carlander surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Carlander?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Carlander. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Carlander?
Carlander ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Carlander. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Carlander.
Has Carlander become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Carlander went from 135 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 15 (-11.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #126,765 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Carlander?
Among Census respondents with the surname Carlander, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Carlander in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Carlander appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Carlander (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 Carlander mean?
Swedish surname derived from the Old Norse elements "karl" (man) and "ander" (duck), possibly referring to a person living near wetlands. 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 Carlander (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 Americans have the surname Carlander?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.