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

Christer, 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 Christer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Christer in America

Christer is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Christer surname appeared 101 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Christer.

The history of the last name Christer

The surname Christer originated in Sweden, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old Swedish word "Krister," a variant of the name "Christian." This name was widely adopted after the spread of Christianity in Scandinavia during the Viking Age.

In the medieval period, the name Christer was commonly found in various parts of Sweden, particularly in the central regions around Uppsala and Stockholm. It was often associated with individuals involved in the Church or religious orders, as Christianity played a significant role in the naming traditions of that time.

One of the earliest mentions of the Christer surname can be found in the Landskapshandlingar, a collection of historical records from the Swedish provinces. In a document dated 1567, a man named Olof Christer is mentioned as a landowner in the region of Uppland.

During the 17th century, the surname Christer gained prominence with the birth of Johan Christer Cederhielm (1615-1677), a Swedish military officer and nobleman. He served as a colonel in the Swedish army during the Thirty Years' War and was awarded the title of Count by Queen Christina of Sweden.

Another notable figure was Carl Christer Giötherstam (1720-1791), a Swedish merchant and shipowner from Gothenburg. He was instrumental in establishing trade routes between Sweden and the West Indies, contributing to the economic growth of the nation.

In the 19th century, the Christer surname was associated with Anders Christer Rutström (1808-1870), a Swedish painter and art professor. He was known for his landscape paintings and served as the principal of the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm.

The name Christer also gained literary recognition with the author and poet Christer Hellholm (1872-1942). He was a prominent figure in the Swedish literary scene, known for his works depicting rural life and the struggles of the working class.

Towards the late 20th century, the surname Christer was carried by notable figures like Christer Pettersson (1947-2004), a Swedish singer and songwriter who gained popularity in the 1970s and 1980s with his folk-inspired music.

While the surname Christer has its roots in Sweden, it has also found its way into other countries through emigration and cultural exchange. However, the majority of historical records and notable individuals bearing this surname can be traced back to its Swedish origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Christer

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

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 Christer 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.

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

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

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