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

Tollefson, 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 Tollefson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tollefson in America

Tollefson is the 8345th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tollefson surname appeared 3,967 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 Tollefson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tollefson 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 Tollefson

The surname Tollefson originated in Norway during the medieval period. It is a patronymic name, meaning it was derived from the father's given name. Tollefson is composed of two elements: "Tolle," a variant of the Old Norse name Torleif, and "son," indicating "son of." Therefore, Tollefson translates to "son of Tolle."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tollefson can be found in the Norwegian census records from the late 16th century. In these records, the name appears as "Tollefsøn," reflecting the Norwegian spelling and pronunciation. Over time, as the surname traveled with families migrating to other regions, it evolved into different spellings, such as "Tolffson" and "Tollevson."

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the name Tollefson was Nils Tollefson, a farmer and landowner in the Østfold region of Norway. Records indicate that he was born in 1632 and lived a prosperous life as a respected member of his community.

As the name spread beyond Norway's borders, it appeared in various historical documents and records. For instance, in the early 19th century, a man named Peder Tollefson was listed as a merchant in the city of Copenhagen, Denmark, suggesting that the name had traveled to neighboring regions.

One of the earliest documented instances of the Tollefson surname in North America dates back to the mid-19th century. Johan Tollefson, born in 1825 in Norway, immigrated to the United States in 1848 and settled in Wisconsin, where he established a successful farming operation.

Another notable figure with the Tollefson surname was Arne Tollefson, a Norwegian-American author and academic born in 1892. He wrote several books on Norwegian culture and literature, contributing significantly to the preservation and promotion of Norwegian heritage in the United States.

Throughout history, the Tollefson surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, merchants, authors, and academics. While the name may have evolved slightly in spelling over time, its Norwegian origins and connection to the Old Norse name Torleif remain evident.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tollefson

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

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

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

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