2000
#412
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 71,144
First available Census row
Per 100,000 26.37
Uncommon Last name
Christensen
A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin meaning "son of Christen," derived from the Latin name "Christianus," meaning "follower of Christ."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 85,619 Americans carry the last name Christensen. That puts it at #435 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 24.98 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 4,003 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Christensen 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Christensen with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
86K
1 in 4,003
Census rank
#435
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
25.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
75K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 74,664 bearers of the surname Christensen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 24.98 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 435th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Christensen, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Christensen
The surname Christensen has its origins in Denmark, where it first emerged in the late Middle Ages. The name is a patronymic, meaning "son of Christen," with Christen being a Danish form of the name Christian. This naming convention was common in Scandinavian countries, where surnames were often derived from the father's given name.
The earliest recorded instances of the Christensen surname can be traced back to the 15th century in various Danish records and documents. One notable example is the mention of a Niels Christensen in the records of the city of Odense, dated around 1450.
Christensen is a relatively common surname in Denmark, particularly in areas such as Jutland and the islands of Zealand and Funen. Over time, variations in spelling emerged, including Christiansen, Kristensen, and Christophersen, reflecting regional dialects and preferences.
While not as widespread as in Denmark, the Christensen surname can also be found in other Scandinavian countries, such as Norway and Sweden, likely due to migration patterns and cultural exchanges between these regions.
Notable individuals bearing the Christensen surname throughout history include:
1. Hans Christensen Sthening (1544-1610), a Danish astronomer and mathematician known for his contributions to the development of the Gregorian calendar.
2. Søren Christensen (1780-1842), a Danish painter recognized for his landscape and genre paintings.
3. Christen Christensen (1859-1933), a Norwegian explorer and whaler who played a significant role in the exploration of Antarctica.
4. Parley P. Christensen (1888-1968), an American academic and agricultural scientist who made significant contributions to the field of agronomy.
5. Asger Oluf Christensen (1905-1985), a Danish architect known for his modernist designs, including the Royal Danish Embassy in London.
While not an exhaustive list, these individuals represent the diverse fields and accomplishments of those bearing the Christensen surname throughout history, reflecting the rich cultural heritage associated with this Danish patronymic name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Christensen
Among Census respondents with the surname Christensen, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Christensen 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 Christensen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 68,389
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 2,597
- Two or more races3.1% · 2,317
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 596
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 402
- Black or African American0.5% · 363
Timeline
Historical Census data for Christensen
Christensen 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
#433
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 75,143
+3,999 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 25.47
Rank movement Down 21 places
2020
#435
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 74,664
-479 bearers (-0.6%)
Per 100,000 24.98
Rank movement Down 2 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #412 | 71,144 | 26.37 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #433 | 75,143 | 25.47 | +3,999 bearers (+5.6%) | Down 21 places |
| 2020 | #435 | 74,664 | 24.98 | -479 bearers (-0.6%) | Down 2 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 Christensen 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 | #433 | #435 | -0.5% |
| Count | 75,143 | 74,664 | -0.6% |
| Per 100K | 25.47 | 24.98 | -1.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Christensen bearers went from 75,143 to 74,664 (-0.6% change). The surname moved down 2 positions in the national ranking, going from #433 to #435.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Christensen
FAQ
Christensen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Christensen?
Name Census estimates that about 85,619 living Americans carry the surname Christensen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 4,003 residents.
How common is Christensen?
Christensen ranks #435 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 24.98 per 100,000 residents, which is about 25 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 74,664 people with the surname Christensen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (85,619), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 24.98 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 24.98 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 25 of them to have the surname Christensen.
Has Christensen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Christensen went from 75,143 recorded bearers to 74,664. That is a decrease of 479 (-0.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #433 to #435.
What does the Census say about the background of Christensen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Christensen, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Christensen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (68,389 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Christensen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Christensen (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 Christensen mean?
A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin meaning "son of Christen," derived from the Latin name "Christianus," meaning "follower of Christ." 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 Christensen (24.98 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 have the surname Christensen?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.