Tullgren last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Tullgren

A Swedish surname derived from the word "tull", meaning customs or toll.

Tullgren, 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 Tullgren surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tullgren in America

Tullgren is the 141140th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tullgren surname appeared 118 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 Tullgren.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tullgren 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 141140 124109 12.84%
Count 118 128 -8.13%
Proportion per 100k 0.04 0.05 -22.22%

The history of the last name Tullgren

The surname Tullgren has its origins in Sweden, dating back to the 17th century. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the Swedish word "tull," which means "toll" or "customs duty." The second part of the name, "gren," translates to "branch" or "twig." This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a toll station or a customs post, or potentially worked as a toll collector.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tullgren can be found in the Swedish parish records from the late 1600s. These records often documented births, marriages, and deaths within local communities. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Tullgren, Tullgreen, and Tullgrén, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

While no direct references to the name Tullgren have been found in historical manuscripts or records like the Domesday Book, it is worth noting that Sweden has a rich history of trade and commerce, particularly through its strategic location along the Baltic Sea. This could have contributed to the establishment of toll stations and customs posts, which may have given rise to surnames like Tullgren.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Tullgren was Johan Tullgren (1677-1742), a Swedish merchant and trader who operated in the city of Gothenburg. He was known for his successful business ventures and played a significant role in the city's economic development during the 18th century.

Another prominent figure was Axel Tullgren (1819-1894), a Swedish botanist and entomologist. He made significant contributions to the study of insects and plants, publishing numerous scientific papers and serving as the curator of the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm.

In the literary world, Karin Tullgren (1907-1992) was a Swedish author and playwright known for her novels and plays that explored themes of relationships, family dynamics, and societal issues. Her works were widely acclaimed and translated into several languages.

Historically, the name Tullgren has also been associated with certain place names in Sweden. For example, the village of Tullgren in Uppland County, located near the city of Uppsala, likely derived its name from the same linguistic roots as the surname.

Another notable figure was Erik Tullgren (1856-1928), a Swedish architect who designed several prominent buildings in Stockholm, including the Stockholm Public Library and the National Museum of Fine Arts. His work played a significant role in shaping the city's architectural landscape during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In summary, the surname Tullgren has its origins in Sweden, dating back to the 17th century. It is believed to be a locational name, potentially referring to individuals associated with toll stations or customs posts. The name has been documented in historical records and has been carried by notable figures in fields such as commerce, science, literature, and architecture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tullgren

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

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 Tullgren was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.76% 113
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin 4.24% 5

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.76% 98.44% -2.76%
Black 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Hispanic 4.24% (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 Tullgren was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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"Tullgren last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 12, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/tullgren-surname-popularity/.

"Tullgren last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/tullgren-surname-popularity/. Accessed 12 June, 2025

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

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