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

Carlsen, 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 Carlsen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carlsen in America

Carlsen is the 7647th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carlsen surname appeared 4,343 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Carlsen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Carlsen 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 Carlsen

The surname Carlsen is of Scandinavian origin, specifically from Denmark and Norway. It is derived from the Old Norse personal name Karl, which means "man" or "warrior". The addition of the suffix "-sen" indicates "son of".

Carlsen was a common patronymic surname in medieval Denmark and Norway, denoting the son of a man named Karl. It was particularly prevalent in areas with a strong Viking influence, such as the coastal regions of Norway and the Danish islands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Carlsen dates back to the 13th century, when a man named Thorstein Carlsen was mentioned in the Icelandic sagas. These ancient literary works provide valuable insights into the naming conventions and cultural practices of the time.

In the 14th century, the name Carlsen appeared in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents. This suggests that the surname was well-established in Norway during this period.

The Carlsen family has a long and distinguished history in Scandinavia. Notable individuals bearing this surname include:

1. Sven Carlsen (1506-1583), a Danish astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.
2. Niels Carlsen (1808-1879), a Norwegian ship-owner and merchant who played a pivotal role in the development of Norway's maritime industry.
3. Emil Carlsen (1848-1932), an American painter of Danish descent, known for his masterful depictions of coastal landscapes and seascapes.
4. Magnus Carlsen (born 1990), the current World Chess Champion from Norway, who has held the title since 2013.
5. Inger Lise Carlsen (born 1968), a Norwegian actress and film director, renowned for her performances in several critically acclaimed movies.

While the surname Carlsen has its roots in Scandinavia, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and immigration patterns. However, its historical significance can be traced back to the Viking Age and the rich cultural heritage of Denmark and Norway.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carlsen

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

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

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

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