2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Laxen
A surname derived from the Swedish word "lax" meaning salmon or trout.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Laxen. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Laxen 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Laxen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Laxen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Laxen
The surname Laxen has its origins in Sweden, emerging during the late medieval period around the 15th century. It is derived from the Old Swedish word "laxen," which means "salmon." This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a river or lake abundant with salmon.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Laxen surname can be found in the Swedish parish records from the 16th century. In these records, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Laxenn" and "Laxön," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.
During the 17th century, the Laxen name gained prominence in the Swedish province of Småland. Here, the surname was associated with several notable individuals, including Anders Laxen (1632-1697), a wealthy landowner and merchant who played a significant role in the local economy.
In the 18th century, the Laxen name spread to other parts of Sweden, including Stockholm. One notable bearer of the name from this period was Johan Laxen (1722-1793), a respected architect who contributed to the design of several churches and public buildings in the city.
As the 19th century dawned, the Laxen name continued to be well-represented in various professions. One such individual was Carl Laxen (1816-1891), a renowned botanist and educator who made significant contributions to the study of Swedish flora.
Another notable figure with the Laxen surname was Johanna Laxen (1848-1922), a pioneering feminist and activist who campaigned tirelessly for women's rights and social reforms in Sweden.
Throughout the centuries, the Laxen name has also been associated with various places and localities in Sweden. For instance, the village of Laxen in the municipality of Vänersborg bears a striking resemblance to the surname, suggesting a possible connection between the name and the place.
While the Laxen surname originated in Sweden, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and cultural exchange. Today, individuals bearing this surname can be found in various countries, carrying on the legacy and rich history associated with this distinctive Swedish name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Laxen
Among Census respondents with the surname Laxen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Laxen 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 Laxen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.9% · 116
- Two or more races3.3% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Laxen
Laxen 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,559 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+10 bearers (+9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,038 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 6,559 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.0%) | Up 7,038 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 Laxen 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 | #148,347 | #141,309 | 4.7% |
| Count | 111 | 121 | 9.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Laxen bearers went from 111 to 121 (+9.0% change). The surname moved up 7,038 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #141,309.
FAQ
Laxen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Laxen?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Laxen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Laxen?
Laxen ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Laxen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Laxen.
Has Laxen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Laxen went from 111 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 10 (+9.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Laxen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Laxen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Laxen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.9% (116 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Laxen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.9%), Two or More Races (3.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Laxen (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 Laxen mean?
A surname derived from the Swedish word "lax" meaning salmon or trout. 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 Laxen (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 Laxen?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.