2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Laakkonen
A Finnish surname derived from the Finnish word "laakka" meaning a grove or meadow.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Laakkonen. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Laakkonen 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Laakkonen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Laakkonen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Laakkonen
The surname Laakkonen originates from Finland, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Finnish word "laakso," which means "valley" or "dale." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived in or near a valley.
One of the earliest known mentions of the Laakkonen name can be found in the parish records of Turku, Finland, from the late 1500s. These records document the birth and baptism of a child named Matti Laakkonen in 1587. It is likely that this was one of the first instances of the name being recorded in official documents.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Laakkonen name began to spread across various regions of Finland, particularly in the western and central parts of the country. Some notable individuals bearing this surname during this period include Pekka Laakkonen (1642-1712), a farmer and landowner in the village of Yläne, and Jaakko Laakkonen (1701-1778), a respected local teacher and church official in the town of Somero.
As Finland underwent a period of industrialization and urbanization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Laakkonens migrated from rural areas to larger cities, such as Helsinki and Tampere. One prominent figure from this era was Juho Laakkonen (1875-1942), a labor activist and politician who played a significant role in the Finnish workers' movement.
Throughout the 20th century, several Laakkonens achieved recognition in various fields. Arvo Laakkonen (1913-1976) was a successful businessman and entrepreneur who founded a successful furniture manufacturing company. Eeva Laakkonen (1921-2005) was a renowned author and playwright, known for her insightful works exploring Finnish culture and society.
More recently, the Laakkonen name has gained international recognition through the accomplishments of individuals like Jari Laakkonen (born 1967), a former professional ice hockey player who represented Finland in the Olympics and World Championships, and Mika Laakkonen (born 1974), a talented architect and designer whose works have been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications.
Overall, the surname Laakkonen has a rich history deeply rooted in Finnish culture and tradition, with its origins dating back several centuries. While the name may have started as a descriptor of one's geographic location, it has since evolved to represent a diverse array of individuals who have contributed to various aspects of Finnish society and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Laakkonen
Among Census respondents with the surname Laakkonen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Laakkonen 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 Laakkonen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.0% · 110
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Laakkonen
Laakkonen appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+13 bearers (+12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,774 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.5%) | Up 11,774 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 Laakkonen 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 | #156,044 | #144,270 | 7.5% |
| Count | 104 | 117 | 12.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Laakkonen bearers went from 104 to 117 (+12.5% change). The surname moved up 11,774 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #144,270.
FAQ
Laakkonen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Laakkonen?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Laakkonen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Laakkonen?
Laakkonen ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Laakkonen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Laakkonen.
Has Laakkonen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Laakkonen went from 104 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 13 (+12.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Laakkonen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Laakkonen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). 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 Laakkonen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.0% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Laakkonen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.0%), Hispanic (1.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). 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 Laakkonen (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 Laakkonen mean?
A Finnish surname derived from the Finnish word "laakka" meaning a grove or meadow. 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 Laakkonen (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 Americans have the surname Laakkonen?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.