2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Meltesen
A surname of Scandinavian origin suggesting an association with mill operations.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Meltesen. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meltesen 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Meltesen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meltesen, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meltesen
The surname Meltesen has its origins in Scandinavia, specifically in Norway. It is believed to have emerged during the late Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "melta," which means "to digest" or "to melt." It is possible that the name was initially a descriptive nickname given to someone with a hearty appetite or a person involved in a profession related to melting or smelting.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Meltesen can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian diplomas and documents dating back to the 12th century. In these records, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Meltesen," "Meltason," and "Meltasson."
The name Meltesen was particularly common in the coastal regions of western Norway, where fishing and maritime activities were prevalent. It is likely that some of the earliest bearers of the name were involved in these industries, either as fishermen or in professions related to the processing or preservation of fish, which may have involved melting or rendering processes.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Meltesen. One of the earliest recorded was Hans Meltesen, a Norwegian merchant and ship owner who lived in the late 16th century. He was known for his extensive trade routes and successful business ventures, which contributed to the growth of maritime commerce in Norway during that period.
In the 17th century, Ingrid Meltesen was a prominent figure in the Norwegian resistance against Danish rule. She played a crucial role in organizing and supporting the rebellion, utilizing her family's resources and connections to aid the cause. Her efforts were instrumental in the eventual independence of Norway from Danish dominion.
Another notable figure was Jens Meltesen, a Norwegian explorer and navigator who lived in the late 18th century. He is credited with mapping and charting several uncharted regions of the Arctic, contributing significantly to the advancement of geographic knowledge and exploration during that era.
In the 19th century, Knut Meltesen was a renowned Norwegian artist and painter. His works, which often depicted the rugged landscapes and traditional way of life in rural Norway, were widely celebrated and are now considered important pieces of Norwegian cultural heritage.
The surname Meltesen can also be found in the historical records of Iceland, where it is believed to have been introduced by Norwegian settlers during the island's colonization in the 9th and 10th centuries. One of the earliest recorded Icelanders with the name was Sigurdur Meltesen, a prominent chieftain and landowner who lived in the 12th century.
Overall, the surname Meltesen has a rich history deeply rooted in the coastal and maritime traditions of Scandinavia, particularly Norway. Its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, and it has been borne by notable individuals throughout the centuries, from merchants and explorers to artists and leaders.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meltesen
Among Census respondents with the surname Meltesen, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Meltesen 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 Meltesen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.5% · 102
- Two or more races7.0% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Meltesen
Meltesen 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
+7 bearers (+6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,412 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-9 bearers (-7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,046 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.0%) | Down 2,412 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.3%) | Down 10,046 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 Meltesen 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 | #136,449 | #146,495 | -7.4% |
| Count | 123 | 114 | -7.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Meltesen bearers went from 123 to 114 (-7.3% change). The surname moved down 10,046 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #146,495.
FAQ
Meltesen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Meltesen?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Meltesen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Meltesen?
Meltesen ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Meltesen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Meltesen.
Has Meltesen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Meltesen went from 123 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Meltesen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meltesen, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Meltesen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.5% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Meltesen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.5%), Two or More Races (7.0%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Meltesen (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 Meltesen mean?
A surname of Scandinavian origin suggesting an association with mill operations. 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 Meltesen (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 are called Meltesen?
See how many people have the surname Meltesen on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.