2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Feragen
Derived from the Germanic word meaning "traveler" or "wanderer."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Feragen. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Feragen 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Feragen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Feragen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Feragen
The surname FERAGEN originated in the Northern regions of Norway, likely emerging in the early 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse words "feragr" meaning "traveler" and "en" signifying "the," suggesting that the name may have been associated with someone who frequently traveled or journeyed.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FERAGEN can be traced back to a Norwegian census record from 1567, where a farmer named Olav Feragen was listed as residing in the village of Nordfjord. This region, known for its rugged coastline and fjords, was a hub for seafaring and trade, lending credence to the name's potential connection to travel.
In the late 17th century, the FERAGEN name appeared in the annals of a local church in the town of Ålesund, where a family headed by Hans Feragen was recorded as having several children baptized between 1680 and 1695. This suggests that the name had become well-established in the area by that time.
One notable individual bearing the FERAGEN surname was Ingrid Feragen, a Norwegian painter born in 1842. Her landscapes and coastal scenes captured the beauty of her homeland and were widely celebrated during her lifetime. She exhibited her works in various galleries across Norway and even had a solo exhibition in Copenhagen in 1878.
Another prominent figure was Peder Feragen, a Norwegian explorer and navigator who lived from 1789 to 1862. He is renowned for his expeditions to the Arctic regions, where he charted previously uncharted territories and made significant contributions to the field of cartography.
In the literary realm, Arne Feragen, born in 1901, was a celebrated Norwegian author and poet. His works often explored themes of nature, rural life, and the changing landscapes of his native country. He received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Gyldendal Prize in 1952.
Moving into the 20th century, Kari Feragen, born in 1923, was a pioneering Norwegian architect who played a crucial role in shaping the modern architectural landscape of Norway. Her designs were known for their innovative use of materials and their seamless integration with the natural surroundings.
Lastly, Bjørn Feragen, who lived from 1945 to 2001, was a renowned Norwegian environmentalist and conservationist. He dedicated his life to protecting Norway's natural resources and raising awareness about the importance of sustainable practices. His efforts were instrumental in the establishment of several national parks and nature reserves across the country.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Feragen
Among Census respondents with the surname Feragen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Feragen 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 Feragen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.4% · 104
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Feragen
Feragen appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+9 bearers (+9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,770 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+9.0%) | Up 10,770 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 Feragen 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 | #160,975 | #150,205 | 6.7% |
| Count | 100 | 109 | 9.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 21.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Feragen bearers went from 100 to 109 (+9.0% change). The surname moved up 10,770 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #150,205.
FAQ
Feragen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Feragen?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Feragen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Feragen?
Feragen ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 109 people with the surname Feragen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Feragen.
Has Feragen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Feragen went from 100 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 9 (+9.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Feragen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Feragen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Feragen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Feragen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.4%), Two or More Races (2.8%), Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Feragen (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 Feragen mean?
Derived from the Germanic word meaning "traveler" or "wanderer." 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 Feragen (0.04 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 have the surname Feragen?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.