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

Gudvangen, 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 Gudvangen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gudvangen in America

Gudvangen is the 121590th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gudvangen surname appeared 142 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 Gudvangen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gudvangen 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 Gudvangen

The surname GUDVANGEN is of Norwegian origin, originating from the village of Gudvangen in the Sogn og Fjordane county of western Norway. The name can be traced back to the late 13th century, when it first appeared as a place name in medieval Norwegian records.

GUDVANGEN is derived from the Old Norse words "Guð" meaning "God" and "vangr" meaning "field" or "meadow." The name likely referred to a sacred field or meadow dedicated to pagan Norse gods in pre-Christian times. The village of Gudvangen is situated in a picturesque valley surrounded by towering mountains and waterfalls, which may have contributed to its significance as a sacred site.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name GUDVANGEN can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents from the late 12th to the early 16th century. In a document dated 1297, the village is referred to as "Guðvangr."

During the Middle Ages, the name appears to have been primarily associated with the local area around the village of Gudvangen. However, as people migrated and settled in other parts of Norway and beyond, the surname spread to other regions.

Notable individuals with the surname GUDVANGEN include:

1. Sigurd Gudvangen (c. 1320 - 1389), a prominent Norwegian landowner and chieftain from the Gudvangen area.
2. Ingrid Gudvangen (1472 - 1538), a Norwegian noblewoman and landowner who inherited significant estates in the Gudvangen region.
3. Hans Gudvangen (1612 - 1677), a Norwegian merchant and trader who established trade routes between Gudvangen and other parts of Europe.
4. Olav Gudvangen (1768 - 1842), a Norwegian farmer and local leader who played a role in the Norwegian Romantic Nationalist movement of the early 19th century.
5. Karen Gudvangen (1889 - 1971), a Norwegian author and poet who drew inspiration from the landscape and folklore of the Gudvangen area in her works.

While the surname GUDVANGEN is relatively uncommon outside of Norway, it remains an integral part of the cultural heritage and history of the Gudvangen region, reflecting the deep connections between place, language, and identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gudvangen

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

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

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

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