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

Sweden, 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 Sweden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sweden in America

Sweden is the 143149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sweden surname appeared 116 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 Sweden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sweden 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 Sweden

The surname "Sweden" is not a traditional surname, but rather a reference to the country of Sweden. It is likely that this name originated as a descriptive surname or a locational surname, indicating that an individual or family had some connection to the country of Sweden.

The name "Sweden" itself is derived from the Old English or Old Norse word "Swēorice," which means "kingdom of the Swedes." The Swedes were a Germanic people who inhabited parts of modern-day Sweden and Norway during the Viking Age, and their name is believed to have originated from the Proto-Germanic word "swē," meaning "one's own" or "self."

While there are no historical records specifically mentioning the surname "Sweden," there are some notable individuals throughout history who have been associated with the country or have had connections to it.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with a connection to Sweden was Ansgar (801-865), a Christian missionary often referred to as the "Apostle of the North." Ansgar traveled to Sweden and Denmark in the 9th century to spread Christianity and established the first Christian communities in these regions.

Another notable figure was Gustav Vasa (1496-1560), a Swedish nobleman who led a rebellion against Danish rule and became the first King of Sweden in 1523. He is credited with establishing the modern Swedish nation-state and laying the foundations for the country's independence.

During the 17th century, Sweden emerged as a major European power under the leadership of Gustav II Adolf (1594-1632), often referred to as the "Lion of the North." He led Sweden's involvement in the Thirty Years' War and is considered one of the greatest military commanders in history.

In the 18th century, Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), a Swedish botanist, is renowned for his contributions to the classification of plant and animal species. He is credited with establishing the modern system of binomial nomenclature, which is still used today for naming living organisms.

In more recent times, Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), a Swedish chemist and engineer, is best known for his invention of dynamite and the establishment of the Nobel Prizes, which are awarded annually in various fields of achievement.

While the surname "Sweden" is not a traditional surname, it is a reference to the country and its rich history. It may have been adopted by individuals or families who had connections to Sweden, whether through ancestry, residence, or other associations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sweden

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

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

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

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