Explore the Family Name Kirsten
The meaning of Kirsten
North German: from the personal name Kirsten, a vernacular form of Christian. Some characteristic forenames: German Oskar, Gerd, Horst, Kurt, Otto, Wolf. Scandinavian Sven.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kirsten in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Kirsten has seen a decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Kirsten was ranked 33,933, but by 2010 it dropped to 41,426 indicating a drop of 22.08 percent. The count of individuals with this surname also decreased during this period from 633 in 2000 to 525 in 2010, which represents a decrease of 17.06 percent. Consequently, the proportion of people named Kirsten per 100,000 residents experienced a decline of 21.74 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #33,933 | #41,426 | -22.08% |
| Count | 633 | 525 | -17.06% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.23 | 0.18 | -21.74% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kirsten
Regarding ethnicity based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, those bearing the surname Kirsten were predominantly of White ethnic identity in both 2000 and 2010, with a slight increase of 0.37 percent over the decade. The Hispanic population with this surname saw a significant increase of 81.75 percent from 2000 to 2010. The number of individuals of Black ethnicity doubled during this period from 0.95 percent to 1.90 percent. However, the percentage of people of Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native backgrounds using the surname Kirsten went down to zero in 2010 from 1.74 percent and 0.95 percent respectively in 2000. Those identifying with two or more races decreased slightly from 1.74 percent to 1.52 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.36% | 93.71% | 0.37% |
| Hispanic | 1.26% | 2.29% | 81.75% |
| Black | 0.95% | 1.9% | 100% |
| Two or More Races | 1.74% | 1.52% | -12.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.74% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.95% | 0% | 0% |