2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Landsem
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly related to an old place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Landsem. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Landsem 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Landsem in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Landsem, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Landsem
The surname LANDSEM originated in Denmark during the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Danish words "land" meaning "country" and "sem" meaning "similar," suggesting that the name was initially given to someone who was perceived as a local or belonging to the land.
One of the earliest records of the LANDSEM name can be found in the Danish census records from the late 1500s, where it was spelled "Landsem." This spelling variation likely arose due to the regional dialects and linguistic variations of the time.
During the 17th century, the LANDSEM name appeared in several historical documents, including parish records and land deeds, particularly in the regions of Jutland and Zealand. This suggests that the name was relatively common among Danish families during this period.
One notable individual with the LANDSEM surname was Niels LANDSEM (1645-1712), a farmer and landowner from the village of Svendborg. His descendants continued to use the LANDSEM name, and it spread across various parts of Denmark over the next few centuries.
In the 18th century, the LANDSEM name was also found in Norwegian records, indicating that some Danish families with this surname may have migrated or established connections in neighboring regions.
Another notable figure was Hans LANDSEM (1780-1856), a Danish sailor and explorer who participated in several Arctic expeditions. His journal entries and accounts provide valuable insights into the maritime history of the region during that time.
During the 19th century, the LANDSEM name continued to be prevalent in Denmark and Norway. Lars LANDSEM (1825-1898), a Norwegian artist known for his landscape paintings, was one of the more prominent individuals with this surname during this period.
As the 20th century approached, the LANDSEM name began to spread further across Europe and other parts of the world due to increased migration and travel. For example, Ingrid LANDSEM (1902-1980), a Danish-born author who later settled in the United States, gained recognition for her works exploring themes of cultural identity and immigration.
Throughout its history, the LANDSEM surname has been associated with various professions and backgrounds, from farmers and landowners to artists and authors, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Landsem
Among Census respondents with the surname Landsem, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Landsem 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 Landsem surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 108
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Landsem
Landsem 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
#135,593
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
+20 bearers (+19.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,418 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-9 bearers (-7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,164 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #135,593 | 124 | 0.04 | +20 bearers (+19.2%) | Up 10,418 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.3%) | Down 10,164 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 Landsem 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 | #135,593 | #145,757 | -7.5% |
| Count | 124 | 115 | -7.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Landsem bearers went from 124 to 115 (-7.3% change). The surname moved down 10,164 positions in the national ranking, going from #135,593 to #145,757.
FAQ
Landsem surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Landsem?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Landsem. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Landsem?
Landsem ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Landsem. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Landsem.
Has Landsem become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Landsem went from 124 recorded bearers to 115. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #135,593 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Landsem?
Among Census respondents with the surname Landsem, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Landsem in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Landsem appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Two or More Races (2.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (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 Landsem (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 Landsem mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly related to an old place name. 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 Landsem (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 Landsem?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.