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

Westerlund, 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 Westerlund surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Westerlund in America

Westerlund is the 17159th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Westerlund surname appeared 1,651 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Westerlund.

We can also compare 2010 data for Westerlund 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 Westerlund

The surname Westerlund originated in Sweden, likely during the 17th or 18th century. It is a locational name derived from the Swedish words "väster" meaning west and "lund" meaning grove or meadow, suggesting that the name referred to someone who lived near a western grove or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Westerlund can be found in the Swedish Census Records of 1695, where a family with the surname Westerlund is listed as residing in the parish of Västerås, located in the central region of Sweden.

The name Westerlund gained prominence in the late 18th century with the birth of Johan Westerlund (1738-1809), a Swedish theologian and author who served as the Bishop of Västerås from 1786 until his death. His writings and sermons were widely published and influential during his lifetime.

Another notable figure with the surname Westerlund was Carl Gustaf Westerlund (1790-1858), a Swedish politician and lawyer who served as the Mayor of Stockholm from 1835 to 1858. He played a significant role in the city's development and modernization during his tenure.

In the 19th century, the name Westerlund gained international recognition with the birth of August Westerlund (1831-1900), a Swedish-American inventor and entrepreneur. Westerlund emigrated to the United States in the 1850s and became famous for his innovative designs in mechanical engineering, including a pioneering steam-powered road roller.

The surname Westerlund also has a connection to the world of music through the Swedish composer and conductor, Tor Westerlund (1888-1968). He composed several notable orchestral works and served as the principal conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra for over two decades.

While the surname Westerlund is predominantly Swedish in origin, it has also been recorded in other Scandinavian countries, such as Norway and Denmark, likely due to migration and cultural exchange within the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Westerlund

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

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

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

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