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

Ekern, 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 Ekern surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ekern in America

Ekern is the 46037th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ekern surname appeared 463 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 Ekern.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ekern 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 Ekern

The surname Ekern originated in Norway, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "eik," meaning oak, and "renn," meaning stream or brook, suggesting a connection to a location near an oak tree or a stream.

During the medieval period, the name Ekern appeared in various Norwegian parish registers and census records. One notable reference is found in the 1593 Bergen Bygdebok, where a farmer named Olav Ekern is mentioned as a landowner in the Voss region.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Ekern can be traced back to the late 15th century. In a 1487 document from the Hardanger region, a man named Bjørn Ekern is listed as a witness to a land transaction. This suggests that the name was already established in the area during that time.

Throughout the centuries, several individuals with the surname Ekern have left their mark on Norwegian history. One notable figure was Guri Ekern (1801-1878), a renowned folk singer and storyteller from the Telemark region, who played a crucial role in preserving traditional Norwegian folk culture.

Another notable bearer of the name was Torstein Ekern (1867-1945), a Norwegian politician and member of the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) from 1901 to 1915. He was instrumental in advocating for workers' rights and social reforms during his political career.

In the realm of literature, the name Ekern is associated with Kristofer Ekern (1890-1964), a celebrated Norwegian author and playwright. His works, including the novel "Enok og Enoksen" (1934), explored themes of rural life and the struggles of the working class.

The Ekern surname has also been connected to certain place names in Norway, such as Ekernhaugen (meaning "Ekern Hill") and Ekernvollen (meaning "Ekern Meadow"), further solidifying its historical ties to the country's geography.

It is worth noting that while the name Ekern is predominantly found in Norway, it has also been recorded in other Scandinavian countries, likely due to migration patterns and cultural exchange within the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ekern

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

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

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

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