2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Torseth
A surname likely of Norwegian origin referring to someone from the farm or place called Torseth.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Torseth. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Torseth 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Torseth in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Torseth, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.7%) and Black (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Torseth
The surname Torseth originates from Norway, with its roots tracing back to the Viking era. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "tors," which means "Thor's," and the suffix "-eth," indicating a place or location. Thus, Torseth could translate to "Thor's place" or "Thor's settlement."
In the early medieval period, the name Torseth was concentrated in the western regions of Norway, particularly in the fjords and coastal areas where Norse settlements thrived. Historical records from the 11th and 12th centuries mention individuals bearing this surname, suggesting its longstanding presence in Scandinavian culture.
One of the earliest documented mentions of the name Torseth can be found in the Gulating Law, a Norwegian provincial law code from the 12th century. This legal text references a person named Torstein Torseth, indicating the use of the surname during that time period.
In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Hallvard Torseth is mentioned in the Icelandic sagas, which are literary works that recount the lives and deeds of Norse settlers. Hallvard Torseth was a respected chieftain and landowner in western Norway, born around 1210 and renowned for his leadership and influence in the region.
As the centuries passed, the Torseth surname continued to be found in various historical records and documents across Norway. In the 16th century, a notable individual named Olav Torseth (1523-1597) was a renowned scholar and linguist who contributed significantly to the preservation of the Old Norse language and literature.
During the 17th century, the Torseth family established a strong presence in the city of Bergen, which was a major maritime hub and trading center. Ingrid Torseth (1635-1701), a prominent merchant and ship owner, played a crucial role in the city's economic growth and international trade.
In the 19th century, Hans Torseth (1812-1888) was a respected Norwegian military officer who served in the Royal Norwegian Army. He was recognized for his bravery and strategic leadership during several conflicts, earning him a distinguished reputation.
Over time, the Torseth surname has spread beyond Norway, with descendants of the original bearers of this name settling in various parts of the world, including other Scandinavian countries, North America, and beyond. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rugged landscapes and rich cultural heritage of Norway's Viking era and medieval history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Torseth
Among Census respondents with the surname Torseth, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.7%) and Black (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Torseth 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 Torseth surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.5% · 85
- Two or more races11.7% · 12
- Black or African American2.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Torseth
Torseth 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+8 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,096 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-5 bearers (-4.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 2,650 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+8.0%) | Down 1,096 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -5 bearers (-4.6%) | Down 2,650 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 Torseth 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 | #151,532 | #154,182 | -1.7% |
| Count | 108 | 103 | -4.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Torseth bearers went from 108 to 103 (-4.6% change). The surname moved down 2,650 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #154,182.
FAQ
Torseth surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Torseth?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Torseth. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Torseth?
Torseth ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Torseth. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Torseth.
Has Torseth become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Torseth went from 108 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Torseth?
Among Census respondents with the surname Torseth, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (11.7%) and Black (2.9%). 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 Torseth in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.5% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Torseth appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.5%), Two or More Races (11.7%), Black (2.9%). 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 Torseth (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 Torseth mean?
A surname likely of Norwegian origin referring to someone from the farm or place called Torseth. 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 Torseth (0.03 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 common is the surname Torseth?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Torseth, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.