Tandberg last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Tandberg

A Norwegian surname referring to a farm or homestead near a ridge or promontory.

Tandberg, 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 Tandberg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tandberg in America

Tandberg is the 92719th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tandberg surname appeared 198 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 Tandberg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tandberg 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 92719 93841 -1.20%
Count 198 181 8.97%
Proportion per 100k 0.07 0.07 0.00%

The history of the last name Tandberg

The surname Tandberg is of Norwegian origin, and it can be traced back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old Norse words "tann" and "berg," which translate to "tooth" and "mountain" or "hill," respectively. It is believed that the name was originally a topographic surname, given to someone who lived near a distinctive hill or mountain formation that resembled a tooth.

The earliest known record of the Tandberg surname dates back to 1277, when a man named Torbjørn Tandberg was mentioned in the Bergen Census. This document was an official record of landowners and taxpayers in the region, providing valuable insight into the history and distribution of surnames in medieval Norway.

In the 15th century, a prominent Norwegian family bearing the Tandberg surname emerged in the region of Østfold, located in southeastern Norway. This family played an important role in local governance and landholdings, and their name was frequently mentioned in historical records and documents from that era.

One notable individual associated with the Tandberg surname was Hans Tandberg (1519-1587), a Norwegian nobleman and military commander who served under King Christian III of Denmark-Norway during the Northern Seven Years' War. Tandberg was renowned for his bravery and strategic prowess on the battlefield, and he played a crucial role in several significant victories against Swedish forces.

Another historical figure with the Tandberg surname was Kirsten Tandberg (1632-1704), a Norwegian businesswoman and landowner who amassed considerable wealth and influence in the Bergen region. She was instrumental in the development of the local fishing and trading industries, and her name is still remembered in various historical accounts and records from that period.

In the 19th century, the Tandberg name gained international recognition through the achievements of Johan Tandberg (1818-1896), a Norwegian engineer and inventor. Tandberg is credited with developing several pioneering technologies in the field of telecommunications, including an early form of the telephone transmitter. His work paved the way for advancements in long-distance communication and laid the foundation for modern telephony.

The Tandberg surname has also been associated with several notable authors and artists throughout history. One such example is Tor Tandberg (1892-1964), a Norwegian painter and illustrator known for his vibrant landscapes and depictions of rural life in Norway. His works are celebrated for their attention to detail and their ability to capture the essence of the Norwegian countryside.

While the Tandberg surname may have evolved and spread to other parts of the world over time, its roots can be firmly traced back to the rugged landscapes and rich cultural heritage of medieval Norway.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tandberg

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

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 Tandberg was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 93.43% 185
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 5.05% 10
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Tandberg has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 93.43% 98.90% -5.69%
Black 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 5.05% 0.00% 200.00%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"Tandberg last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/tandberg-surname-popularity/.

"Tandberg last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/tandberg-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025

Tandberg last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/tandberg-surname-popularity/.

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