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

Silen, 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 Silen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Silen in America

Silen is the 106096th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Silen surname appeared 168 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Silen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Silen 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 Silen

The surname Silen is believed to have originated in Sweden during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "silun," which referred to a type of herring or small fish. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with fishing communities or coastal regions in Scandinavia.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Silen surname can be found in the Swedish parish records from the 16th century. These documents mention individuals with the name living in various parts of the country, particularly in the coastal areas and fishing villages.

While the name Silen does not appear to have been prominently featured in major historical manuscripts or records outside of Sweden, it has been documented in local genealogical records and regional archives throughout the centuries.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named Olof Silen (1620-1689) was a prominent merchant and trader based in the city of Gothenburg. He played a significant role in the development of trade routes and commercial activities in the region.

Another individual of note was Anna Silen (1745-1818), a renowned weaver and textile artist from the town of Hälsingland. Her intricate tapestries and woven works were highly regarded and have been preserved in various museums across Sweden.

During the 19th century, Erik Silen (1811-1879) was a respected linguist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of Scandinavian languages and their historical development.

In more recent times, the name Silen has been associated with the Swedish author and playwright Björn Silen (1928-2005), whose works explored themes of identity, family dynamics, and societal issues.

Additionally, the village of Silentzby in southern Sweden is believed to have derived its name from the Silen surname, indicating the presence of families bearing this name in the region during the medieval or early modern period.

While the surname Silen may not be as widely known as some other Swedish surnames, it has a rich history rooted in the coastal regions of Scandinavia and has been carried by individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Silen

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

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 Silen 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 Silen 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 Silen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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