2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wredberg
A Swedish surname denoting a location or topographical feature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Wredberg. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wredberg 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Wredberg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wredberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wredberg
The surname Wredberg finds its origins in Northern Europe, particularly within the Scandinavian region. Emerging during the late Medieval period, the name is believed to have its roots in Sweden. The surname combines two elements from Old Norse: "wred," a variant of "vrede" meaning "wrath" or "anger," and "berg," meaning "mountain" or "hill."
Variants of the name have appeared in old records dating back to the mid-14th century. For instance, in some historical manuscripts from 1355, a name similar to Wredberg appears, spelled as "Wretheberg," which suggests an early adaptation of the original Old Norse components. This earlier spelling aligns with localized dialectal changes that occurred over time.
Several historical references to the surname Wredberg can be found in Swedish archives. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in the court rolls of 1452, where a Jens Wredberg is mentioned as a landholder in the Västra Götaland region. Jens Wredberg's estate was noted for its strategic positioning on a prominent hill, fitting the “mountain” or “hill” definition in the surname.
During the 16th century, another notable figure was Magnus Wredberg (1510-1579), a recognized cleric and scholar. Magnus Wredberg contributed significantly to the translation of religious texts during the Protestant Reformation in Sweden. His scholarly works provide insight into the vernacular of that period, reinforcing the linguistic roots of his surname.
In the 17th century, Captain Lars Wredberg (1632-1698) gained prominence for his service in the Swedish Army during the Northern Wars. His military career and service records detail campaigns that spanned across the Baltic States and Russia, making Captain Lars Wredberg a distinguished name in Swedish military history.
The 18th century saw Anna Wredberg (1745-1812) emerge as a notable figure in Swedish social circles. Anna was a philanthropist and an early advocate for women's schooling and literacy. Her endeavors in establishing educational systems for girls in the province of Dalarna left a lasting impact and highlighted the social transformation trends of the period.
Later, Carl Johan Wredberg (1790-1865), an influential industrialist, played a critical role in the early industrialization of Sweden. His innovations in textile manufacturing in the mid-19th century contributed to the industrial growth in the regions of Gothenburg and Stockholm. Carl Johan's legacy is often noted in historical accounts of Sweden's industrial revolution.
Such historical references underscore the long-standing presence and significant contributions of individuals bearing the surname Wredberg across centuries. The evolution and preservation of the name through various historical epochs reflect the socio-linguistic trends and cultural history in Scandinavia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wredberg
Among Census respondents with the surname Wredberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wredberg 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 Wredberg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 108
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wredberg
Wredberg appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,379 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Up 7,379 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 Wredberg 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 | #156,044 | #148,665 | 4.7% |
| Count | 104 | 111 | 6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wredberg bearers went from 104 to 111 (+6.7% change). The surname moved up 7,379 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #148,665.
FAQ
Wredberg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wredberg?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Wredberg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Wredberg?
Wredberg ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Wredberg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Wredberg.
Has Wredberg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wredberg went from 104 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 7 (+6.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Wredberg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wredberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Hispanic (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 Wredberg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wredberg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Black (1.8%), Hispanic (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 Wredberg (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 Wredberg mean?
A Swedish surname denoting a location or topographical feature. 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 Wredberg (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 Americans have the surname Wredberg?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.