Explore the Family Name Saarela
The meaning of Saarela
Finnish: habitational name from farms so named, from saari ‘island’ (compare Saari) + the locative suffix -la. Established as a hereditary surname since the 19th century in southern, western, and northern Finland. Adopted also in the early 20th century name-changing campaigns. Some characteristic forenames: Finnish Eero, Eino, Pekka, Sulo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Saarela in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Saarela has seen a slight increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. The rank of this surname went from 60,083 to 58,042, indicating a rank change of 3.4. In actual numbers, there were 314 individuals with the Saarela last name in 2000, which rose to 350 by 2010, marking an increase of 11.46%. However, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 remained static at 0.12.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #60,083 | #58,042 | 3.4% |
| Count | 314 | 350 | 11.46% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Saarela
In terms of ethnic identity, the majority of individuals with the Saarela surname identified as White according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, 98.41% of Saarelas identified as White, though this slightly decreased to 97.14% by 2010. There was no recorded change among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native, with these categories remaining at 0 over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 98.41% | 97.14% | -1.29% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |