2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ulseth
A surname of Norwegian origin derived from the Old Norse word "ulsithr" meaning wolf-like.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Ulseth. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ulseth 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Ulseth in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ulseth, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ulseth
The surname Ulseth is of Norwegian origin, with its roots traced back to the 9th and 10th centuries. It is believed to have originated from the Old Norse word "ulv," meaning "wolf," combined with the suffix "-seth," which was a common ending for surnames in that region. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone with wolf-like characteristics or someone who resided in an area associated with wolves.
In the earliest records, the name appeared with various spellings, such as Ulvseth, Ulvsaeth, and Ulfsseth, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the "Gårdsnavne i Nordre Bergenhus Amt" (Farm Names in Northern Bergenhus County), a Norwegian topographic publication from the late 19th century, where the farm name "Ulseth" is mentioned.
The name Ulseth gained prominence in the 13th century when Halvor Ulseth, a prominent landowner and chieftain in western Norway, was recorded in the "Diplomatarium Norvegicum" (Norwegian Diplomatic Documents). Halvor Ulseth played a significant role in the political and military conflicts of his time, and his descendants continued to use the surname for generations.
Another notable figure in history was Ingebjørg Ulseth, born in 1624 in Sogndal, Norway. She was a respected midwife and healer, renowned for her expertise in traditional medicine and her dedication to serving the local community.
In the 17th century, Svein Ulseth, a skilled shipwright, gained recognition for his contributions to the Norwegian maritime industry. He was responsible for the construction of several ships that played a vital role in coastal trade and exploration.
During the 19th century, Hans Ulseth, born in 1832 in Ålesund, Norway, made a name for himself as a successful merchant and philanthropist. He established several businesses and used his wealth to support various charitable causes, leaving a lasting impact on his community.
In more recent times, the name Ulseth has been carried by notable individuals such as Sigurd Ulseth, a Norwegian journalist and author born in 1920, who wrote extensively on cultural and historical topics.
Throughout its history, the surname Ulseth has maintained a strong connection to its Norwegian roots, reflecting the rich heritage and traditions of the region from which it originated.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ulseth
Among Census respondents with the surname Ulseth, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Ulseth 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 Ulseth surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ulseth
Ulseth 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,071 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+3 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 59 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 8,071 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 59 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 Ulseth 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 | #142,108 | #142,049 | 0.0% |
| Count | 117 | 120 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ulseth bearers went from 117 to 120 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 59 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #142,049.
FAQ
Ulseth surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ulseth?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Ulseth. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Ulseth?
Ulseth ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Ulseth. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Ulseth.
Has Ulseth become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ulseth went from 117 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 3 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #142,108 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Ulseth?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ulseth, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Ulseth in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ulseth appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (4.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Ulseth (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 Ulseth mean?
A surname of Norwegian origin derived from the Old Norse word "ulsithr" meaning wolf-like. 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 Ulseth (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 many people are called Ulseth?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Ulseth on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.