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

Ellefsen, 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 Ellefsen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ellefsen in America

Ellefsen is the 56588th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ellefsen surname appeared 361 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 Ellefsen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ellefsen 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 Ellefsen

The surname Ellefsen is of Norwegian origin, derived from the Old Norse personal name Elfar or Elfa. The name likely emerged during the Viking era, around the 8th to 11th centuries AD. It is a patronymic surname, formed by adding the suffix "-sen" to the given name, indicating "son of Elfar/Elfa."

The name's roots can be traced back to various Old Norse words, including "alfr" meaning "elf" or "supernatural being," and "elfarr" meaning "supernatural traveler." These words suggest the name may have been associated with individuals believed to possess otherworldly or magical qualities in ancient Norse mythology and folklore.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Eirik Ellefsen, a Norwegian chieftain from the Trondheim region who is mentioned in the Icelandic Sagas, dated around the 11th century. These sagas were written in the 13th century and provide valuable insights into the history and culture of medieval Scandinavia.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Danish Census Book of 1365, which recorded the names of landowners and taxpayers in the Kingdom of Denmark, including parts of modern-day Norway and Sweden. The spelling variations found in this census include "Elefsen" and "Ellefsson."

A notable figure bearing the name was Jens Ellefsen, a Norwegian merchant and explorer who lived from 1546 to 1612. Ellefsen was part of an expedition that sought to establish trade routes and explore the Arctic regions of Greenland and North America.

During the 17th century, the name Ellefsen surfaced in the records of the Naustdal parish in western Norway, where several families with this surname were documented. One prominent individual was Anders Ellefsen, a farmer and local official born in 1623.

Another historical figure was Peder Ellefsen, a Norwegian-American pioneer born in 1814 in Nærbø, Norway. He emigrated to the United States in 1840 and settled in Dane County, Wisconsin, where he became a prominent landowner and community leader.

Throughout its history, the surname Ellefsen has retained its strong connection to Norway and its rich cultural heritage. While the name's origins can be traced back to ancient Norse roots, it continues to be a part of Norway's modern society and diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ellefsen

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

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

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

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