Korson last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Korson

A surname potentially originating from the Hebrew name meaning "tonsure" or "bald crown".

Korson, 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 Korson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Korson in America

Korson is the 39052nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Korson surname appeared 564 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 Korson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Korson 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank3905244497-13.03%
Count56445521.39%
Proportion per 100k0.190.1711.11%

The history of the last name Korson

The surname KORSON originates from Sweden, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Swedish word "kors," which means "cross," and may have been a reference to a person who lived near a crossroads or a landmark with a cross symbol.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KORSON name can be found in the Swedish Census of 1680, where a family with the surname KORSON is listed as residing in the town of Söderköping. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

In the 18th century, the KORSON surname began to appear in various church records and parish registers across Sweden. Notable individuals from this period include Johan KORSON (1712-1789), a respected merchant in Stockholm, and Anna KORSON (1725-1802), a renowned midwife who served the rural communities of Östergötland.

As the 19th century dawned, the KORSON name started to spread beyond Sweden's borders. In 1842, a man named Lars KORSON (1815-1887) emigrated from Småland to the United States, settling in Minnesota. He is believed to be one of the first KORSONs to establish a presence in North America.

Another notable figure from this era was Nils KORSON (1830-1912), a Swedish engineer and inventor who is credited with developing an early prototype of the modern-day safety match. His innovations helped revolutionize the match industry and made a significant impact on fire safety.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the KORSON surname continued to gain prominence in various fields. Gustaf KORSON (1865-1942), a Swedish-American journalist and author, was a prominent voice in the Swedish-American community, writing extensively about the immigrant experience and advocating for cultural preservation.

As the centuries passed, the KORSON name has been carried by individuals from diverse professions and backgrounds, leaving their mark on history in their unique ways. While the name's origins can be traced back to a humble beginning in Sweden, its legacy has since transcended borders and cultures, contributing to the rich tapestry of human experience.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Korson

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

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 Korson was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only93.09%525
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only1.24%7
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races3.55%20
Hispanic Origin1.06%6

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 Korson has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White93.09%96.48%-3.58%
Black(S)%(S)%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander1.24%1.10%11.97%
American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%0.00%(S)%
Two or More Races3.55%1.32%91.58%
Hispanic1.06%(S)%(S)%

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

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

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

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