2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kjellman
A Swedish surname denoting a person from the northern regions of Scandinavia.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Kjellman. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kjellman 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Kjellman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kjellman, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kjellman
The surname KJELLMAN has its origins in Sweden, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "kjell," meaning "spring" or "well." The suffix "-man" was a common addition to surnames during this period, indicating a person's occupation or location.
KJELLMAN was initially concentrated in the central and southern regions of Sweden, particularly in the provinces of Småland and Västergötland. Early records show variations in spelling, such as "Kiellman" and "Kjelman," reflecting the fluidity of orthography in those times.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KJELLMAN can be found in the Swedish Church Records from the late 1500s. These records were meticulously maintained by the Lutheran Church and often provide valuable insights into family histories.
In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the surname KJELLMAN was Anders Kjellman (1620-1688), a Swedish clergyman and author who served as a parish priest in the town of Skara. His writings on theological matters and sermons were widely circulated during his lifetime.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Johan Kjellman (1761-1837), a Swedish politician and landowner from the province of Västergötland. He served as a member of the Riksdag, the national parliament of Sweden, during the early 19th century.
During the 19th century, the name KJELLMAN gained further recognition with the birth of Frans Reinhold Kjellman (1846-1907), a Swedish botanist and phycologist. He made significant contributions to the study of algae and published numerous scientific papers on the subject.
In the 20th century, Sven Kjellman (1909-1992) was a Swedish author and journalist who gained prominence for his works on history and folklore. His books, including "Svenska Folksägner" (Swedish Folk Tales), explored the rich cultural heritage of Sweden.
Another notable figure with the surname KJELLMAN was Gunnar Kjellman (1926-2018), a Swedish businessman and industrialist. He played a crucial role in the development of the Swedish automotive industry and served as the CEO of Volvo Cars from 1983 to 1987.
While the surname KJELLMAN is primarily associated with Sweden, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the Nordic region, where it has a rich and enduring history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kjellman
Among Census respondents with the surname Kjellman, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Kjellman 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 Kjellman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.1% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino6.0% · 7
- Two or more races4.3% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kjellman
Kjellman 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,776 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+8 bearers (+7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,504 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,776 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.4%) | Up 6,504 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 Kjellman 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 | #151,532 | #145,028 | 4.3% |
| Count | 108 | 116 | 7.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kjellman bearers went from 108 to 116 (+7.4% change). The surname moved up 6,504 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #145,028.
FAQ
Kjellman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kjellman?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Kjellman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Kjellman?
Kjellman ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Kjellman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Kjellman.
Has Kjellman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kjellman went from 108 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 8 (+7.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Kjellman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kjellman, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Kjellman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.1% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kjellman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.1%), Hispanic (6.0%), Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Kjellman (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 Kjellman mean?
A Swedish surname denoting a person from the northern regions of Scandinavia. 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 Kjellman (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 Kjellman?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.