2000
#67,317
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 274
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Thunstrom
A surname derived from a Swedish place name meaning "thunder stream."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 377 Americans carry the last name Thunstrom. That puts it at #65,168 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 909,163 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Thunstrom 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
377
1 in 909,163
Census rank
#65,168
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
329
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 329 bearers of the surname Thunstrom in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 65168th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Thunstrom, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Thunstrom
The surname Thunstrom originated in Sweden, having its roots firmly planted in the medieval era. It is believed to be derived from the Old Swedish words "thundr" meaning thunder and "strom" meaning stream. This suggests that the name may have been associated with a person living near a rushing or thunderous stream.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Swedish census records from the late 16th century, where a Nils Thunstrom was listed as a resident of Dalarna, a province in central Sweden. It is unclear whether this Nils was directly associated with the origin of the name or if he simply adopted it.
In the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname Thunstrom was Anna Thunstrom, born in 1628 in Vastergotland. She was a prominent landowner and played a significant role in the development of her local community.
The name Thunstrom also appeared in historical records from the neighboring country of Norway. In the late 18th century, a merchant named Hans Thunstrom was documented as having established a successful trading business in the city of Bergen.
Jumping forward to the 19th century, a Swedish artist named Johan Thunstrom (1818-1892) gained recognition for his landscape paintings depicting the rugged beauty of the Swedish countryside. His works are still celebrated today and can be found in various art galleries across Scandinavia.
Another notable figure was Lars Thunstrom (1892-1976), a Swedish diplomat who served as the ambassador to several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, during the mid-20th century. He was respected for his efforts in promoting international cooperation and understanding.
Throughout its history, the surname Thunstrom has maintained a strong presence in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway. While it may not be as widespread as some other Scandinavian surnames, it has left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Thunstrom
Among Census respondents with the surname Thunstrom, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Thunstrom 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 Thunstrom surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.8% · 279
- Hispanic or Latino7.6% · 25
- Two or more races4.0% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.0% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Thunstrom
Thunstrom appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#67,126
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 294
+20 bearers (+7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 191 places
2020
#65,168
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 329
+35 bearers (+11.9%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Up 1,958 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #67,317 | 274 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #67,126 | 294 | 0.10 | +20 bearers (+7.3%) | Up 191 places |
| 2020 | #65,168 | 329 | 0.11 | +35 bearers (+11.9%) | Up 1,958 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 Thunstrom 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 | #67,126 | #65,168 | 2.9% |
| Count | 294 | 329 | 11.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.11 | 10.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Thunstrom bearers went from 294 to 329 (+11.9% change). The surname moved up 1,958 positions in the national ranking, going from #67,126 to #65,168.
FAQ
Thunstrom surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Thunstrom?
Name Census estimates that about 377 living Americans carry the surname Thunstrom. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 909,163 residents.
How common is Thunstrom?
Thunstrom ranks #65,168 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.11 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 329 people with the surname Thunstrom. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (377), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.11 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.11 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 Thunstrom.
Has Thunstrom become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Thunstrom went from 294 recorded bearers to 329. That is an increase of 35 (+11.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #67,126 to #65,168.
What does the Census say about the background of Thunstrom?
Among Census respondents with the surname Thunstrom, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Thunstrom in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.8% (279 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Thunstrom appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.8%), Hispanic (7.6%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Thunstrom (2000, 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 Thunstrom mean?
A surname derived from a Swedish place name meaning "thunder stream." 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 Thunstrom (0.11 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 share the surname Thunstrom?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.