Selander
Swedish surname derived from sele, meaning "harness" or "saddler".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,131 Americans carry the last name Selander. That puts it at #25,701 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.33 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 303,054 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Selander surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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 303,054
Census rank
#25,701
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
959
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 959 bearers of the surname Selander in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.33 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 25701st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Selander, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Selander
The surname Selander has its origins in the Scandinavian region, particularly in Sweden and Norway. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century.
Selander is derived from the Old Norse word "Salundr," which means "willow tree" or "willow grove." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived near or were associated with willow trees or groves.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Selander can be found in the Swedish parish records from the 16th century. These records often contained variations of the spelling, such as "Sälander" or "Sälender."
In the 17th century, the name Selander appeared in various historical documents and records, including the Swedish Census Tax Records (Mantalslängder) and the Swedish Church Records (Husförhörslängder).
Notable individuals with the surname Selander throughout history include:
1. Johan Selander (1594-1668), a Swedish clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Västerås from 1646 until his death.
2. Carl Selander (1766-1835), a Swedish architect and city planner who designed several notable buildings in Stockholm.
3. Nils Selander (1834-1912), a Swedish-American pioneer and farmer who settled in Minnesota in the late 19th century.
4. Anna Selander (1870-1935), a Swedish novelist and playwright known for her works exploring social issues and the lives of working-class women.
5. Lesley Selander (1900-1979), an American film director and actor who directed numerous westerns and action films during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.
The surname Selander has also been associated with various place names in Scandinavia, such as Sälander, a village in Sweden, and Selander, a farm in Norway. These place names likely originated from the same root word as the surname, referring to the presence of willow trees or groves in those areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Selander
Among Census respondents with the surname Selander, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Selander bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Selander surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.7%
- Hispanic or Latino0.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
- Two or more races0.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Selander surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,701 | #25,701 | 0.0% |
| Count | 959 | 959 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Selander bearers went from 959 to 959 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #25,701 to #25,701.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Selander
FAQ
Selander surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Selander?
The surname Selander holds position #25,701 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,131 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.33 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Selander surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Selander, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.