2000
#124,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Flatebo
A Norwegian surname originating as a habitation name for someone living by a flat marshland or valley.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Flatebo. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Flatebo 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Flatebo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Flatebo, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Flatebo
The surname FLATEBO has its origins in Norway, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a small farming community in the western region of the country, where the name was likely derived from the Old Norse words "flatr" and "bó," meaning "flat" and "homestead" or "farm," respectively. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a household or settlement situated on a flat or level terrain.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the FLATEBO surname can be traced back to the late 13th century, when a landowner named Torgrim FLATEBO was mentioned in a legal document pertaining to a property dispute in the Hardanger region. This document, preserved in the archives of the Bergen Historical Society, provides a valuable glimpse into the historical roots of the name.
In the 15th century, the FLATEBO surname appeared in a manuscript documenting the lineage of a prominent Norwegian family. This manuscript, now housed in the National Archives of Norway, mentions a farmer named Hallvard FLATEBO, who was born in 1421 and resided in the Voss valley.
During the 16th century, the name FLATEBO was associated with a notable figure, Sigurd FLATEBO, a skilled blacksmith who lived in the village of Flåm. His craftsmanship and reputation as a master metalworker were widely recognized throughout the region, and his works were highly sought after.
In the late 17th century, a prosperous merchant named Bjørn FLATEBO made a significant contribution to the local economy by establishing a successful trading company in the city of Trondheim. His business ventures helped to strengthen commercial ties between Norway and other Scandinavian countries, further solidifying the FLATEBO name in the region's mercantile history.
Another notable figure bearing the FLATEBO surname was Ingrid FLATEBO, a renowned artist and painter who lived in the early 19th century. Her vibrant landscapes and depictions of rural Norwegian life garnered widespread acclaim, and her works are currently displayed in several prominent art museums throughout the country.
Throughout the centuries, the FLATEBO surname has maintained a strong presence in various regions of Norway, with its roots deeply embedded in the country's rich cultural and historical tapestry. While the name may have evolved and adapted over time, its origins remain firmly rooted in the rugged landscapes and resilient spirit of the Norwegian people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Flatebo
Among Census respondents with the surname Flatebo, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Flatebo 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 Flatebo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 117
Timeline
Historical Census data for Flatebo
Flatebo appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
-1 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,939 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-10 bearers (-7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,222 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,109 | 128 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 8,939 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-7.9%) | Down 11,222 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 Flatebo 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 | #133,048 | #144,270 | -8.4% |
| Count | 127 | 117 | -7.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Flatebo bearers went from 127 to 117 (-7.9% change). The surname moved down 11,222 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #144,270.
FAQ
Flatebo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Flatebo?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Flatebo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Flatebo?
Flatebo ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Flatebo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Flatebo.
Has Flatebo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Flatebo went from 127 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 10 (-7.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Flatebo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Flatebo, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Flatebo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Flatebo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Flatebo (2000, 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 Flatebo mean?
A Norwegian surname originating as a habitation name for someone living by a flat marshland or valley. 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 Flatebo (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 last name Flatebo?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Flatebo, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.