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

Syverson, 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 Syverson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Syverson in America

Syverson is the 13391st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Syverson surname appeared 2,275 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Syverson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Syverson 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 Syverson

The surname Syverson originates from Norway, emerging during the late Middle Ages or early Renaissance period. It is derived from the Old Norse words "syr," meaning sow or pig, and "garðr," meaning enclosure or farm, suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who raised pigs or lived on a farm where pigs were kept.

Historical records indicate that the name was initially spelled in various ways, such as Syrgarðson, Syrgarðsson, Syrgarson, and Syrgarsson, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and evolving spelling conventions. These early forms eventually coalesced into the modern spelling of Syverson.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of Norwegian medieval documents dating back to the 13th century. In this collection, a person named Sigurd Syrgarðsson is mentioned in a land transaction record from the year 1348.

The name Syverson has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the 16th century, a Norwegian farmer named Torgrim Syverson gained local prominence for his role in a dispute over land rights in the Gudbrandsdalen valley. His descendants continued to use the surname in the region for generations.

Another historical figure bearing the name was Hans Syverson, a 17th-century Norwegian merchant and ship owner who traded extensively with the Netherlands and England. His successful business ventures contributed to the economic growth of the city of Bergen during that period.

In the 19th century, Ole Syverson (1824-1901) was a Norwegian-American pioneer who settled in Minnesota and became a prominent figure in the local Lutheran community, serving as a church leader and educator.

Another notable bearer of the name was Liv Syversen (1911-1992), a Norwegian novelist and playwright whose works explored themes of rural life and the struggles of women in a male-dominated society. Her novel "Folket ved fjorden" (The People by the Fjord) is considered a classic of Norwegian literature.

Additionally, the name Syverson has been associated with several place names in Norway, such as Syversrud, a farm located in the municipality of Ringerike, and Syversborg, a historic estate in the Østfold region.

While the surname Syverson is not among the most common in Norway today, it continues to be carried by individuals with roots in the country, reflecting its enduring connection to Norwegian history and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Syverson

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

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

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

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