2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Chellberg
A locative surname likely referring to someone from a place called Chellberg.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Chellberg. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chellberg 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Chellberg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chellberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chellberg
The surname CHELLBERG is of Swedish origin, with its roots traced back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Swedish town of Hellberg, located in the southern region of the country. The name is a combination of the Old Norse words "hell" meaning "stone" and "berg" meaning "mountain" or "hill", suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name likely resided near or came from a rocky, hilly area.
One of the earliest documented references to the CHELLBERG name can be found in the Swedish church records from the late 1500s, where it was spelled as "Hellberg". Over time, the spelling evolved into various forms such as "Chellberg", "Chelberg", and "Chellebergh", reflecting regional dialects and phonetic variations.
In the 17th century, the CHELLBERG name appears in several historical documents from the region of Västergötland, where the town of Hellberg is located. Notable individuals from this period include Johan CHELLBERG (1612-1678), a prominent merchant and landowner, and Ingrid CHELLBERG (1624-1701), a respected midwife and herbalist.
As Sweden expanded its influence and trade routes across Europe, the CHELLBERG name began to spread to other countries. In the late 18th century, records show a family of CHELLBERG entrepreneurs who had established businesses in the Baltic region and Russia.
Throughout the 19th century, several individuals with the CHELLBERG surname made significant contributions to various fields. One such person was Carl CHELLBERG (1811-1892), a renowned Swedish architect who designed numerous notable buildings, including the Stockholm Palace and the Royal Swedish Opera House. Another notable figure was Sigrid CHELLBERG (1839-1919), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in Sweden.
In the early 20th century, the CHELLBERG name gained international recognition with the achievements of Erik CHELLBERG (1894-1967), a Swedish physicist and Nobel Prize winner for his groundbreaking work in nuclear physics. Additionally, the renowned Swedish author and playwright, Ingmar CHELLBERG (1920-2002), brought literary acclaim to the family name.
While the CHELLBERG surname has its origins in Sweden, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by emigrants and descendants over the centuries. However, its historical roots and connection to the town of Hellberg remain a significant part of its rich heritage and cultural identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chellberg
Among Census respondents with the surname Chellberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Chellberg 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 Chellberg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.1% · 100
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chellberg
Chellberg 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+14 bearers (+13.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,095 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-13 bearers (-11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 11,033 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.7%) | Up 5,095 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.2%) | Down 11,033 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 Chellberg 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 | #143,149 | #154,182 | -7.7% |
| Count | 116 | 103 | -11.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chellberg bearers went from 116 to 103 (-11.2% change). The surname moved down 11,033 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #154,182.
FAQ
Chellberg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chellberg?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Chellberg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Chellberg?
Chellberg ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Chellberg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Chellberg.
Has Chellberg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chellberg went from 116 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 13 (-11.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Chellberg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chellberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). 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 Chellberg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.1% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chellberg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.1%), Two or More Races (1.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). 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 Chellberg (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 Chellberg mean?
A locative surname likely referring to someone from a place called Chellberg. 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 Chellberg (0.03 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 Chellberg?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.