2000
#106,477
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 155
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Onsgard
A Scandinavian surname derived from a farm or location name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Onsgard. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Onsgard 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Onsgard in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Onsgard, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Onsgard
The surname Onsgard originates from Norway, having its roots in the Old Norse language. It traces back to the Viking Age, approximately between the 8th and 11th centuries AD. The name is believed to be derived from the Old Norse words "onundr" and "gardr," which together mean "the farm or homestead of Onund."
Onund was a common given name during the Viking era, and it is likely that Onsgard referred to a specific farmstead or settlement owned or established by an individual bearing that name. The suffix "-gard" or "-gård" in Norwegian surnames often indicates a farm or estate, reflecting the agrarian roots of many Scandinavian families.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Onsgard can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents dating back to the 12th century. An entry from 1345 refers to a man named Eirik Onsgard, suggesting that the surname was already in use by that time.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Onsgard name was Bjørn Onsgard (c. 1520-1590), a Norwegian farmer and landowner who played a role in the Reformation in Norway. He is mentioned in several historical accounts for his involvement in the religious upheaval of that era.
Another prominent individual with the Onsgard surname was Hans Onsgard (1634-1696), a Norwegian merchant and ship owner who became wealthy through his maritime ventures. He was a prominent figure in the city of Bergen and is mentioned in various records of the time.
During the 17th century, the Onsgard name appears in various land records and tax registers in Norway, indicating that the family had established itself as landowners and farmers in various parts of the country.
In the 19th century, a notable figure was Peder Onsgard (1801-1875), a Norwegian politician and farmer who served in the Storting, the Norwegian parliament. He was a vocal advocate for farmers' rights and is mentioned in historical accounts of the time.
Another individual of note was Ingrid Onsgard (1867-1942), a Norwegian author and playwright who wrote several works that explored themes of rural life and the struggles of women in her time. Her plays and novels provide valuable insights into Norwegian society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Onsgard surname has its roots in the rich history and cultural heritage of Norway, with its origins dating back to the Viking Age. While the name has evolved over time, it continues to reflect the agrarian and seafaring traditions that have shaped the Norwegian identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Onsgard
Among Census respondents with the surname Onsgard, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Onsgard 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 Onsgard surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 112
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Onsgard
Onsgard 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
#130,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
-25 bearers (-16.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,133 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-11 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,178 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #106,477 | 155 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #130,610 | 130 | 0.04 | -25 bearers (-16.1%) | Down 24,133 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 12,178 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 Onsgard 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 | #130,610 | #142,788 | -9.3% |
| Count | 130 | 119 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Onsgard bearers went from 130 to 119 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 12,178 positions in the national ranking, going from #130,610 to #142,788.
FAQ
Onsgard surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Onsgard?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Onsgard. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Onsgard?
Onsgard ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Onsgard. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Onsgard.
Has Onsgard become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Onsgard went from 130 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 11 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #130,610 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Onsgard?
Among Census respondents with the surname Onsgard, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%) 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 Onsgard in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Onsgard appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Two or More Races (2.5%), 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 Onsgard (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 Onsgard mean?
A Scandinavian surname derived from a farm or location 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 Onsgard (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 share the surname Onsgard?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.