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

Knudsen, 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 Knudsen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Knudsen in America

Knudsen is the 3898th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Knudsen surname appeared 9,104 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Knudsen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Knudsen 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 Knudsen

The surname Knudsen originated in Denmark and is a patronymic name, meaning it was derived from the given name of the father or an ancestor. In this case, Knudsen is the Danish equivalent of the English surname Johnson, both of which stem from a personal name.

Knudsen is derived from the Old Norse personal name Knútr, which means "knot" or "nugget." This name was quite popular during the Viking Age and was borne by several Danish kings, including the famous King Canute the Great, who ruled England, Denmark, and Norway in the 11th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Knudsen can be traced back to the 13th century in various Danish records and chronicles. One notable early bearer of the name was Knud Svendsen Knudsen, a Danish nobleman who lived in the late 13th century and was a prominent figure in the court of King Eric V of Denmark.

In the following centuries, the Knudsen surname began to spread throughout Denmark and other Scandinavian countries. Several notable individuals with this surname emerged, including the Danish astronomer Thomas Knudsen (1638-1696), who made significant contributions to the study of comets and the motion of the planets.

Another prominent figure was Søren Andreas Knudsen (1776-1848), a Norwegian-born Danish politician and jurist who served as the Prime Minister of Denmark from 1842 to 1848. He played a crucial role in the introduction of democratic reforms in Denmark during the 19th century.

In the field of literature, the Danish author and poet Knud Knudsen (1812-1876) gained recognition for his lyrical works and his contributions to the development of Danish literature during the Romantic period.

The Knudsen surname can also be found in other parts of Scandinavia, including Norway and Sweden, where it has similar origins and meanings. One notable Norwegian bearer of the name was Hans Christian Knudsen (1763-1828), a sailor and explorer who was the first European to set foot on the Antarctic mainland in 1823.

Throughout history, the Knudsen surname has been associated with various professions and fields, including academia, politics, exploration, and the arts, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have borne this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Knudsen

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

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

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

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