2000
#59,293
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 319
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Very Rare Last name
Sandelin
A surname of Swedish origin, derived from the old Germanic word "sand" meaning sandy.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 343 Americans carry the last name Sandelin. That puts it at #70,545 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 999,284 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sandelin 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
343
1 in 999,284
Census rank
#70,545
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
299
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 299 bearers of the surname Sandelin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 70545th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sandelin, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.6%. The next largest groups are Black (10.7%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sandelin
The surname Sandelin is of Swedish origin, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old Norse word "sandr," meaning "sand," and the suffix "-lin," which denotes a diminutive or a smaller form. This suggests that the name likely originated from a place name or a descriptive name related to sandy or sandy-like terrain.
One of the earliest documented records of the Sandelin name can be found in the Swedish church records from the late 16th century, where it appeared in various spellings, such as Sandelijn, Sandelin, and Sandelin. These variations reflect the fluidity of surname spellings during that time, as standardization was not yet widespread.
In the 17th century, the Sandelin name gained prominence in the Swedish province of Västergötland, particularly in the town of Falköping. Records from this period mention several individuals bearing the Sandelin surname, including Johan Sandelin, a prominent landowner born in 1634.
As the Sandelin family expanded, some members ventured beyond Sweden's borders. In the late 18th century, a branch of the Sandelin family settled in Finland, where they became influential merchants and landowners. One notable figure from this period was Carl Gustaf Sandelin (1758-1824), a successful businessman and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of the city of Turku.
Moving into the 19th century, the Sandelin name continued to spread across Scandinavia and beyond. In Norway, the renowned painter Erik Sandelin (1819-1895) gained recognition for his landscape paintings, capturing the beauty of the Norwegian fjords and mountains. Meanwhile, in Germany, the composer and pianist Johann Sandelin (1792-1865) made significant contributions to the classical music scene of his time.
Another notable figure with the Sandelin surname was the Swedish botanist and explorer Gustaf Sandelin (1874-1942), who led several expeditions to South America, collecting and documenting numerous plant species. His work greatly contributed to the understanding of the region's flora and biodiversity.
Throughout its history, the Sandelin name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scientists, businesspeople, and scholars. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has left an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual landscapes of multiple countries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sandelin
Among Census respondents with the surname Sandelin, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.6%. The next largest groups are Black (10.7%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Sandelin 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 Sandelin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.6% · 244
- Black or African American10.7% · 32
- Two or more races3.7% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sandelin
Sandelin 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
#62,714
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 319
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 3,421 places
2020
#70,545
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 299
-20 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Down 7,831 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #59,293 | 319 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #62,714 | 319 | 0.11 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 3,421 places |
| 2020 | #70,545 | 299 | 0.10 | -20 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 7,831 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 Sandelin 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 | #62,714 | #70,545 | -12.5% |
| Count | 319 | 299 | -6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.10 | -9.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sandelin bearers went from 319 to 299 (-6.3% change). The surname moved down 7,831 positions in the national ranking, going from #62,714 to #70,545.
FAQ
Sandelin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sandelin?
Name Census estimates that about 343 living Americans carry the surname Sandelin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 999,284 residents.
How common is Sandelin?
Sandelin ranks #70,545 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 299 people with the surname Sandelin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (343), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Sandelin.
Has Sandelin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sandelin went from 319 recorded bearers to 299. That is a decrease of 20 (-6.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #62,714 to #70,545.
What does the Census say about the background of Sandelin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sandelin, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.6%. The next largest groups are Black (10.7%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Sandelin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.6% (244 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sandelin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.6%), Black (10.7%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Sandelin (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 Sandelin mean?
A surname of Swedish origin, derived from the old Germanic word "sand" meaning sandy. 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 Sandelin (0.10 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 Americans have the surname Sandelin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.