2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Stensgar
A Swedish habitational surname derived from a farmstead name meaning "stone ridge."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Stensgar. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stensgar 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Stensgar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stensgar, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and White (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stensgar
The surname STENSGAR is of Swedish origin, with roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Västergötland, situated in the western part of Sweden. The name is derived from the Old Norse word "Sten," meaning stone, and "gård," meaning farm or homestead.
In the medieval era, surnames often referenced a person's occupation, physical attributes, or the location where they resided. The name STENSGAR likely referred to an individual who lived on a farm or estate with a prominent stone structure or landmark. This could have been a stone house, a fortified tower, or even a distinctive rock formation on the property.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name STENSGAR can be found in the parish records of Västergötland, dating back to the late 16th century. These records document the birth of a child named Lars Stensgar in the year 1587. This provides evidence that the name was already in use by that time.
During the 17th century, the name STENSGAR appeared in various legal documents and property records throughout the region of Västergötland. One notable individual was Ingrid Stensgar, born in 1628, who was involved in a land dispute over the ownership of a farm near the town of Falköping.
In the 18th century, the STENSGAR name gained prominence with the birth of Anders Stensgar (1712-1789), a respected farmer and landowner in the village of Töreboda. His son, Johan Stensgar (1745-1823), became a prominent merchant and traded goods throughout the region.
Another significant figure was Maja Stensgar (1803-1872), who was known for her skilled work as a weaver and textile artist. Her intricate tapestries and rugs were highly sought after and are now considered treasured examples of traditional Swedish craftsmanship.
In the 19th century, the STENSGAR family tree expanded as members of the family migrated to other parts of Sweden and even abroad. One notable individual was Carl Stensgar (1842-1917), who emigrated to the United States in the late 1800s and became a successful businessman in Minnesota.
Throughout its history, the surname STENSGAR has maintained its connection to Sweden and the region of Västergötland. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its origins remain rooted in the Old Norse language and the traditional way of life on the farms and homesteads of western Sweden.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stensgar
Among Census respondents with the surname Stensgar, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and White (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Stensgar 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 Stensgar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- American Indian and Alaska Native85.1% · 97
- Two or more races7.0% · 8
- White4.4% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stensgar
Stensgar appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,354 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 2,354 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 Stensgar 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 | #144,141 | #146,495 | -1.6% |
| Count | 115 | 114 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stensgar bearers went from 115 to 114 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 2,354 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #146,495.
FAQ
Stensgar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stensgar?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Stensgar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Stensgar?
Stensgar ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Stensgar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Stensgar.
Has Stensgar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stensgar went from 115 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Stensgar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stensgar, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and White (4.4%). 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?
American Indian/Alaska Native is the largest self-reported group for the surname Stensgar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.1% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stensgar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are American Indian/Alaska Native (85.1%), Two or More Races (7.0%), White (4.4%). 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 Stensgar (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 Stensgar mean?
A Swedish habitational surname derived from a farmstead name meaning "stone ridge." 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 Stensgar (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 are called Stensgar?
See how common the surname Stensgar is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.