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

VanSweden, 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 VanSweden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of VanSweden in America

VanSweden is the 86645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The VanSweden surname appeared 215 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 VanSweden.

We can also compare 2010 data for VanSweden 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 VanSweden

The surname VANSWEDEN likely originated in the Netherlands or Low Countries region during the 16th or 17th century. It is a locational name, derived from the phrase "van Zweden," meaning "from Sweden." This suggests the name was initially given to someone who immigrated or relocated from Sweden to the Netherlands or adjacent areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the VANSWEDEN name appears in Dutch municipal records from the city of Amsterdam in the late 1600s, where a merchant named Pieter VANSWEDEN is listed as a prominent tradesman. The name also surfaces in various church registries and legal documents from this period across the Netherlands and parts of modern-day Belgium.

During the Dutch Golden Age, when the Netherlands was a major maritime and trading power, it was not uncommon for Swedish sailors, merchants, or immigrants to settle in Dutch cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, or Antwerp. The VANSWEDEN name likely arose as a way to distinguish individuals of Swedish origin residing in these Dutch communities.

A notable figure bearing the VANSWEDEN surname was Johan VANSWEDEN (1673-1745), a Dutch military officer who served in the Wars of the Spanish Succession. He is mentioned in several contemporary accounts and military chronicles for his leadership and bravery during the Battle of Ramillies in 1706.

Another individual of historical significance was the Dutch philosopher and theologian, Dirk VANSWEDEN (1612-1678), who authored several influential works on Calvinist doctrine and was a prominent figure in the Reformed Church of the Netherlands during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the VANSWEDEN name appears in records from the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia), where members of the family likely migrated as part of the Dutch colonial presence in the region. One such individual was Cornelis VANSWEDEN (1729-1801), a merchant and plantation owner in Java.

While the VANSWEDEN name originated in the Low Countries, it eventually spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, as Dutch emigrants and their descendants carried the name with them. For instance, the Dutch-born artist Willem VANSWEDEN (1857-1912) lived and worked in France during the late 19th century, contributing to the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements.

Throughout its history, the VANSWEDEN surname has maintained its connection to Dutch and Swedish origins, reflecting the cultural and migratory ties between these two regions over several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name VanSweden

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

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

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

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