2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sjursen
A Norwegian surname derived from the given name Sigurd.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Sjursen. 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 Sjursen 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 Sjursen 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 Sjursen, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sjursen
The surname Sjursen originates from Norway, likely emerging in the early 19th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a specific place name or farm name within Norway. The prefix "Sjur" suggests a connection to the Norwegian name "Sjur," a variant of the name "Sigurd" or "Sivert," which has Old Norse origins meaning "victory" and "guardian."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Sjursen can be found in the parish records of Ullensaker, a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. These records date back to the early 1800s and document individuals bearing the Sjursen surname residing in the area.
In the mid-19th century, a notable figure named Hans Sjursen (1825-1889) was born in Ullensaker. He was a prominent farmer and landowner, playing a significant role in the local agricultural community.
Another early record of the Sjursen surname can be traced to the coastal town of Arendal, where Ingrid Sjursen (1841-1912) was born. She later married and became part of a well-established merchant family in the region.
Toward the end of the 19th century, the Sjursen surname gained recognition with the birth of Olav Sjursen (1878-1962) in Trondheim. He was a respected educator and author, publishing several books on Norwegian history and culture.
In the early 20th century, the Sjursen name gained international recognition with the accomplishments of Knut Sjursen (1905-1982), a Norwegian explorer and adventurer. He led several expeditions to the Arctic regions and wrote extensively about his experiences, becoming a celebrated figure in Norway.
Throughout its history, the Sjursen surname has maintained a strong presence in Norway, particularly in the central and eastern regions of the country. While not a widely widespread surname, it has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, from agriculture and commerce to education and exploration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sjursen
Among Census respondents with the surname Sjursen, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Sjursen 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 Sjursen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.4% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sjursen
Sjursen 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
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+11 bearers (+9.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,066 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-7 bearers (-5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,925 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+9.6%) | Up 1,066 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.6%) | Down 8,925 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 Sjursen 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 | #133,863 | #142,788 | -6.7% |
| Count | 126 | 119 | -5.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sjursen bearers went from 126 to 119 (-5.6% change). The surname moved down 8,925 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #142,788.
FAQ
Sjursen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sjursen?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Sjursen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Sjursen?
Sjursen 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 Sjursen. 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 Sjursen.
Has Sjursen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sjursen went from 126 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Sjursen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sjursen, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Sjursen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.4% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sjursen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.4%), Hispanic (5.9%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Sjursen (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 Sjursen mean?
A Norwegian surname derived from the given name Sigurd. 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 Sjursen (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 Sjursen?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.