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

Christen, 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 Christen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Christen in America

Christen is the 8626th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Christen surname appeared 3,813 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 Christen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Christen 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 Christen

The surname Christen originated in Germany, where it first appeared around the 12th century. It is derived from the German word "Christen," meaning Christian or follower of Christ. The name was initially used to refer to those who had converted to Christianity or those who displayed strong Christian values.

In the early days, the name Christen was most commonly found in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, where Christianity had a strong presence. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historical documents such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae and the Monumenta Germaniae Historica.

The name Christen gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly during the Crusades, when many individuals adopted names related to their religious beliefs. It was also a common practice for children to be given names that reflected their parents' religious devotion or the circumstances surrounding their birth.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Christen was Johann Christen, a German nobleman who lived in the 14th century. He was known for his involvement in the local politics of Saxony and his support for the Holy Roman Empire.

Another notable figure was Hans Christen, a 16th-century German painter and engraver. He was renowned for his religious-themed works, which often depicted scenes from the life of Christ and other biblical narratives.

In the 17th century, the name Christen appeared in various records across Europe, including the Netherlands and England. One such individual was Willem Christen, a Dutch merchant who established trade routes between Amsterdam and the East Indies.

During the 18th century, the surname Christen was found in various parts of Germany, as well as in Switzerland and Austria. One notable bearer of the name was Johann Friedrich Christen, a German theologian and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of ethics and moral philosophy.

In the 19th century, the name Christen gained prominence in the United States, as German immigrants brought the surname with them to their new homeland. One notable American with the surname Christen was Frederick Christen, a businessman and philanthropist from Philadelphia, who was instrumental in establishing several charitable organizations and educational institutions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Christen

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

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

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

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