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

Gunderson, 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 Gunderson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gunderson in America

Gunderson is the 2624th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gunderson surname appeared 13,742 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Gunderson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gunderson 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 Gunderson

The surname Gunderson originated in Scandinavia, most likely in Norway or Sweden. It is derived from the Old Norse personal name "Gunnarr" or "Gunnar," combined with the patronymic suffix "-son," meaning "son of Gunnar." The name Gunnar was a popular name among the Vikings and is believed to be derived from the Old Norse words "gunni" (war or battle) and "arr" (warrior or army).

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gunderson appears in the 13th-century Icelandic sagas, where it is mentioned as the surname of a prominent family. The sagas, which were written in the 13th and 14th centuries, often included detailed genealogies and references to historical figures, making them a valuable source for tracing the origins of surnames.

During the Viking Age, from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries, the name Gunderson was likely associated with individuals who were skilled warriors or came from families with a military background. As the Vikings explored and settled in various parts of Europe, the name may have been carried to other regions.

In the Middle Ages, the Gunderson surname can be found in various historical records and documents from Scandinavia. One notable example is Gunnar Gunderson, a Norwegian chieftain who lived in the 13th century and was mentioned in the Icelandic Annals for his involvement in local conflicts.

Another early recorded instance of the name is Gunder Gunderson, a Norwegian farmer and landowner who lived in the late 15th century. His name appears in land registry documents from the region of Hedmark, in eastern Norway.

As the Gunderson family spread throughout Scandinavia and Europe, the name may have been adapted to local spellings and pronunciations. For example, in Denmark, it may have been rendered as "Gundersen," while in Germany, it could have been spelled as "Gunderson" or "Gundermann."

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Gunderson was Hans Gunderson, a Norwegian-American explorer and fur trader who lived in the early 19th century. He was instrumental in establishing trade routes and settlements in the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

Other notable figures with the Gunderson surname include Gunnar Gunderson, a Norwegian author and poet who lived in the late 19th century, and Gunder Gunderson, a Norwegian-American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Gunderson Foundation in the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gunderson

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

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

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

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