2000
#28,256
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 797
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.30
Rare Last name
Michaelsen
A patronymic surname meaning "son of Michael".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,088 Americans carry the last name Michaelsen. That puts it at #26,988 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 315,032 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Michaelsen 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
1.1K
1 in 315,032
Census rank
#26,988
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
949
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 949 bearers of the surname Michaelsen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 26988th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Michaelsen, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Michaelsen
The surname Michaelsen has its origins in Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark and Norway, where it first emerged in the 16th century. It is a patronymic name, derived from the personal name Michael, which itself is of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God."
The earliest recorded instances of the Michaelsen surname can be traced back to the Danish Census Rolls of 1645, where it appears as Michælsøn. This spelling variation highlights the influence of the Danish language on the name's evolution, with the addition of the characteristic Danish patronymic suffix "-søn" meaning "son of."
One of the earliest known bearers of the Michaelsen name was Hans Michælsøn, a Danish merchant and ship owner born in 1612 in Copenhagen. He played a significant role in the city's maritime trade during the 17th century.
In Norway, the Michaelsen surname first appeared in the parish records of Trondheim in the late 16th century, where it was spelled as Michælsøn or Michelsøn. Notable Norwegians with this surname include Bredo Henrik von Munthe af Morgenstierne Michaelsen (1755-1838), a military officer and nobleman who served in the Danish-Norwegian army during the Napoleonic Wars.
As the surname spread across Scandinavia, various spelling variations emerged, such as Michelsen, Michælsen, and Michælsøn. These variations often reflected the regional dialects and linguistic influences of the areas where the name was adopted.
Another notable figure with the Michaelsen surname was Carl Adolf Michaelsen (1835-1890), a Danish composer and music teacher who contributed significantly to the development of choral music in Denmark during the 19th century.
In the 20th century, the name gained recognition through the achievements of individuals like the Norwegian zoologist Wilhelm Michaelsen (1887-1964), a renowned expert in the study of earthworms and other annelids. His pioneering work in the field of taxonomy and systematics earned him international acclaim.
It's worth noting that while the Michaelsen surname originated in Scandinavia, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots and historical significance remain firmly tied to its Nordic origins and the rich cultural heritage of Denmark and Norway.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Michaelsen
Among Census respondents with the surname Michaelsen, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Michaelsen 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 Michaelsen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.8% · 881
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 27
- Two or more races2.6% · 25
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Michaelsen
Michaelsen 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
#30,916
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 752
-45 bearers (-5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.25
Rank movement Down 2,660 places
2020
#26,988
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 949
+197 bearers (+26.2%)
Per 100,000 0.32
Rank movement Up 3,928 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #28,256 | 797 | 0.30 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #30,916 | 752 | 0.25 | -45 bearers (-5.6%) | Down 2,660 places |
| 2020 | #26,988 | 949 | 0.32 | +197 bearers (+26.2%) | Up 3,928 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 Michaelsen 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 | #30,916 | #26,988 | 12.7% |
| Count | 752 | 949 | 26.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.25 | 0.32 | 27.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Michaelsen bearers went from 752 to 949 (+26.2% change). The surname moved up 3,928 positions in the national ranking, going from #30,916 to #26,988.
FAQ
Michaelsen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Michaelsen?
Name Census estimates that about 1,088 living Americans carry the surname Michaelsen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 315,032 residents.
How common is Michaelsen?
Michaelsen ranks #26,988 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.32 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 949 people with the surname Michaelsen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,088), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.32 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 Michaelsen.
Has Michaelsen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Michaelsen went from 752 recorded bearers to 949. That is an increase of 197 (+26.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #30,916 to #26,988.
What does the Census say about the background of Michaelsen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Michaelsen, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (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 Michaelsen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.8% (881 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Michaelsen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.8%), Hispanic (2.8%), Two or More Races (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 Michaelsen (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 Michaelsen mean?
A patronymic surname meaning "son of Michael". 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 Michaelsen (0.32 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 last name Michaelsen?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Michaelsen at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.