2000
#124,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Tullgren
A Swedish surname derived from the word "tull", meaning customs or toll.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Tullgren. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tullgren 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Tullgren in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tullgren, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.2%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tullgren
Among Census respondents with the surname Tullgren, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.2%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Tullgren 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 Tullgren surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.0% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino10.2% · 11
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tullgren
Tullgren 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
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-10 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,031 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-10 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,795 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,109 | 128 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 17,031 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 9,795 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 Tullgren 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 | #141,140 | #150,935 | -6.9% |
| Count | 118 | 108 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tullgren bearers went from 118 to 108 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 9,795 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #150,935.
FAQ
Tullgren surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tullgren?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Tullgren. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Tullgren?
Tullgren ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 108 people with the surname Tullgren. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Tullgren.
Has Tullgren become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tullgren went from 118 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Tullgren?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tullgren, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.2%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Tullgren in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.0% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tullgren appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.0%), Hispanic (10.2%), Black (0.9%). 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 Tullgren (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 Tullgren mean?
A Swedish surname derived from the word "tull", meaning customs or toll. 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 Tullgren (0.04 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 Tullgren?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Tullgren is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.