Explore the Family Name Phalen
The meaning of Phalen
1. Altered form of Irish Phelan. Compare Phalin and Falen. 2. Swedish (Phalén): variant of Falén, see Falen. 3. Possibly also an Americanized form of German Fahlen or Vahlen: ethnic name for someone from East- or Westphalia, from fal, presumably referring to a plain. Compare Falen.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Phalen in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Phalen experienced a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Phalen was ranked the 15,745th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had slipped to 16,630th. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the Phalen surname increased slightly from 1,702 in 2000 to 1,724 in 2010, marking a growth of 1.29%. However, the proportion per 100k population saw a decrease of 7.94% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,745 | #16,630 | -5.62% |
| Count | 1,702 | 1,724 | 1.29% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.63 | 0.58 | -7.94% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Phalen
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of people with the surname Phalen identify as White, although the percentage dropped marginally from 95.59% in 2000 to 93.62% in 2010. The Hispanic demographic exhibited the largest growth, increasing by 51.38% to represent 3.83% of the Phalen population in 2010. Additionally, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and individuals reporting two or more races both saw increases, rising to 0.75% and 1.04% respectively. Data for Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native demographics were suppressed in 2000 for privacy reasons, but by 2010, these groups accounted for 0.41% and 0.35% of the Phalen population, respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.59% | 93.62% | -2.06% |
| Hispanic | 2.53% | 3.83% | 51.38% |
| Two or More Races | 0.88% | 1.04% | 18.18% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.59% | 0.75% | 27.12% |
| Black | 0% | 0.41% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.35% | 0% |