2000
#19,806
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,257
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.47
Rare Last name
Grahn
A Scandinavian surname derived from a branch or creek.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,483 Americans carry the last name Grahn. That puts it at #20,719 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.43 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 231,122 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Grahn 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
1.5K
1 in 231,122
Census rank
#20,719
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,293 bearers of the surname Grahn in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.43 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 20719th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Grahn, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Grahn
The surname Grahn is of Swedish origin, originating in the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Swedish word "gran," meaning "pine tree" or "fir tree," suggesting that the name was likely given to someone who lived near or worked with pine trees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Grahn surname can be found in the Swedish church records of the late 16th century. In 1587, a man named Nils Grahn was listed as a resident of the parish of Västervik, located in the province of Småland.
In the 17th century, the Grahn surname appears in various Swedish genealogical records and historical documents. One notable individual was Johan Grahn (1630-1692), a Swedish military officer who served in the Scanian War between Sweden and Denmark-Norway.
During the 18th century, the Grahn surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Småland and Västergötland. One prominent Grahn was Carl Fredrik Grahn (1753-1816), a Swedish violinist and composer who is considered one of the founders of the Swedish violin school.
In the 19th century, the Grahn surname continued to be widely distributed across Sweden. One notable figure was Mathilda Grahn (1828-1867), a Swedish opera singer who performed at the Royal Swedish Opera and was highly acclaimed for her portrayal of the title role in Donizetti's opera "Lucia di Lammermoor."
Another significant individual with the Grahn surname was Gustaf Grahn (1853-1923), a Swedish engineer and inventor who pioneered the use of reinforced concrete in construction. His work played a crucial role in the development of modern building techniques.
As the Grahn surname spread beyond Sweden, it also gained recognition in other parts of the world. For example, in the early 20th century, Nils Grahn (1884-1961) was a prominent Norwegian-American architect known for his work in the Prairie School style, particularly in the Chicago area.
While the surname Grahn has its roots in Sweden, it has been carried by individuals from various backgrounds and professions throughout history, contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural diversity and achievement.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grahn
Among Census respondents with the surname Grahn, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Grahn 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 Grahn surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 1,191
- Two or more races3.3% · 43
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 34
- Black or African American1.0% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Grahn
Grahn 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
#22,543
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,140
-117 bearers (-9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.39
Rank movement Down 2,737 places
2020
#20,719
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,293
+153 bearers (+13.4%)
Per 100,000 0.43
Rank movement Up 1,824 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #19,806 | 1,257 | 0.47 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #22,543 | 1,140 | 0.39 | -117 bearers (-9.3%) | Down 2,737 places |
| 2020 | #20,719 | 1,293 | 0.43 | +153 bearers (+13.4%) | Up 1,824 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 Grahn 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 | #22,543 | #20,719 | 8.1% |
| Count | 1,140 | 1,293 | 13.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.39 | 0.43 | 10.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Grahn bearers went from 1,140 to 1,293 (+13.4% change). The surname moved up 1,824 positions in the national ranking, going from #22,543 to #20,719.
FAQ
Grahn surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Grahn?
Name Census estimates that about 1,483 living Americans carry the surname Grahn. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 231,122 residents.
How common is Grahn?
Grahn ranks #20,719 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.43 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 1,293 people with the surname Grahn. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,483), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.43 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.43 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 Grahn.
Has Grahn become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Grahn went from 1,140 recorded bearers to 1,293. That is an increase of 153 (+13.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #22,543 to #20,719.
What does the Census say about the background of Grahn?
Among Census respondents with the surname Grahn, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Grahn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (1,191 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Grahn appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Grahn (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 Grahn mean?
A Scandinavian surname derived from a branch or creek. 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 Grahn (0.43 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 Grahn?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.