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

Skjei, 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 Skjei surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Skjei in America

Skjei is the 154907th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Skjei surname appeared 105 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 Skjei.

We can also compare 2010 data for Skjei 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 Skjei

The surname SKJEI is of Norwegian origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the Gudbrandsdalen region of Norway, specifically in the vicinity of the town of Skjeggestad.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a 13th-century manuscript from the Gudbrandsdalen valley, where a farmer named Torgeir Skjei is mentioned. The name is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "skjegg," meaning "beard," and may have initially referred to someone with a distinctive facial hair.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the SKJEI surname was Halvard Skjei, a respected landowner and local chieftain in the Gudbrandsdalen area. His descendants continued to hold significant influence in the region for several generations.

During the 17th century, the name appeared in various records and documents related to land ownership and taxation in the Oppland region of Norway, where many families with the SKJEI surname resided.

Another notable bearer of the SKJEI name was Knut Skjei, born in 1732, who served as a respected clergyman in the town of Fåberg, near Lillehammer. His legacy as a prominent religious figure contributed to the recognition of the SKJEI surname within the local community.

In the 19th century, the SKJEI name gained wider recognition with the birth of Hans Skjei (1837-1912), a prominent Norwegian politician and member of the Storting (the Norwegian parliament). He played a significant role in shaping the country's policies during his tenure.

Other notable individuals with the SKJEI surname include the renowned Norwegian writer and poet, Olav Skjei (1870-1943), whose works explored themes of rural life and the struggles of the common people in Norway.

Additionally, the SKJEI name has been linked to various place names in Norway, such as Skjeiberg and Skjeggerud, which further underscores its deep-rooted connection to the country's history and geography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Skjei

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

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

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

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