Find out how popular the last name Michaelson is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Michaelson.

Michaelson, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Michaelson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Michaelson in America

Michaelson is the 8380th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Michaelson surname appeared 3,950 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Michaelson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Michaelson to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Michaelson

The surname Michaelson is a patronymic name that originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the given name Michael, which has Hebrew origins and means "who is like God." The suffix "-son" denotes "son of," indicating that the name was initially used to identify the son of someone named Michael.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Michaelson can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Michaelissone," a variant spelling that reflects the evolving nature of surnames during that time.

In the 13th century, the name Michaelson was associated with various locations in England, particularly in areas with a strong Anglo-Saxon influence. For instance, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 mention individuals with the name residing in counties such as Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

Notable individuals bearing the Michaelson surname throughout history include:

1. Sir John Michaelson (c. 1480 - 1551), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London.
2. William Michaelson (1623 - 1689), a prominent English Puritan minister and author of several religious works.
3. Mary Michaelson (1747 - 1825), a Scottish poet and writer known for her lyrical compositions celebrating the Scottish landscape.
4. James Michaelson (1802 - 1873), a British explorer and surveyor who conducted pioneering expeditions in central Africa and mapped vast regions.
5. Elizabeth Michaelson (1854 - 1927), an American educator and activist who advocated for women's rights and played a significant role in establishing educational opportunities for women in the late 19th century.

The Michaelson surname has also been associated with various place names throughout its history. For example, the village of Michaelston-le-Pit in Gloucestershire, England, was formerly known as "Michaelestonge" in medieval records, reflecting the influence of the name in that region.

As with many surnames, the spelling of Michaelson has evolved over time, with variations such as Michelson, Michelsen, and Michaelsen appearing in different geographical regions and historical records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Michaelson

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Michaelson.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Michaelson was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Michaelson has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Michaelson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Michaelson, please contact us.

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