The Mortensen surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,013 people carried this name — #3,282 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 26,800 people counted. That is up 8% from 10,208 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Mortensen surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

Originally a patronymic from Morten + -sen.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Mortensen» (Danish), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 160 people named Mortensen live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in San Juan.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

San Juan 81
Buenos Aires Province 41
Mendoza 24
Río Negro 14

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

25 people named Mortensen live in Switzerland.

They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Vaud 10
Zurich 7
Bern 5
Zug 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

4,113 people named Mortensen are counted in Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Norway publishes only surnames with 200 or more bearers. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Norway (2025) 3,423
Sweden (2022) 661
Finland (2026) 29

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Statistics Norway (SSB, ssb.no), table 12891, 2025 — CC BY 4.0 · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In print

Mortensen in American newspapers,
1915–1916.

Newspaper page from The Brookings Register carrying the name Mortensen
The Brookings Register 1915-12-09
Newspaper page from The Brookings Register carrying the name Mortensen
The Brookings Register 1916-12-21
Newspaper page from The Brookings Register carrying the name Mortensen
The Brookings Register 1916-12-21

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 19,049 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Mortensen in Australian newspapers,
1860s–1990s.

2,920 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Mortensen. The most, 988, date from the 1940s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 3.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 1,854
Victoria 401
New South Wales 394
South Australia 113
Tasmania 66
Western Australia 45
ACT (Canberra) 25
Northern Territory 3

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Mortensen.

Who carried it

People named Mortensen,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Mads Mortensen
    Mads Mortensen 1806– · politician
  • Anders Mortensen d. 1419 · mayor
  • Turdis Mortensen d. 1986
  • Claus Mortensen Tøndebinder 1499–1575 · writer
  • Jens Mortensen 1550–1595 · priest
  • Martin Mortensen 1801–1867 · gardener

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 9 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Mortensen,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,154 records

1,154 records of the Mortensen name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 267
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 262
  • Other U.S. records 625
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Claude J. Mortensen

    Born 1920 in Arizona. Enlisted 1945 at Randolph Field, Texas; hatchery worker. U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Arizona.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Karoline Mortensen

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Friedrich der Grosse from Bremen, aged 16; servant. From Kolding, Denmark.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Gene Al Mortensen

    Born 1949; from Salt Lake City, Utah. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1967 in Quang Tin, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,154 records for Mortensen in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia216 records

216 records of the Mortensen name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 105
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 76
  • Other Australian records 35
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Christ Mortensen

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Wilhelmsburg, aged 21; Danish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Lauritz Mortensen

    Farmer of Birchip, Victoria; died 1912.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mark George Bernhard Mortensen

    Of Gladestone, Queensland; died 1929.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 216 records for Mortensen in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Germany60 records

60 records of the Mortensen name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Jeppe Mortensen

    From Quistrup, Schleswig. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 6 June 1916 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 86).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Christian Mortensen

    From Quistrup. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 24 November 1916 (Infantry Regiment No. 141).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Hans Mortensen

    From Stolund, Hadersleben. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 3 October 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 60 records for Mortensen in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Canada19 records

19 records of the Mortensen name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 8
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 7
  • Other Canadian records 4
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Kristian L. Mortensen

    Buried in 1968 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 56.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Joseph Lawrence Mortensen

    Died 1953 in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Christen Mortensen

    Died in service in 1942.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 19 records for Mortensen in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Netherlands19 records

19 records of the Mortensen name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 14
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 5
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Frederik Mortensen

    Married in 1848 in Amsterdam; shipwright.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Olga Petra Marie Mortensen

    Died 1950 in Rotterdam, aged 55.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Bertong H. Mortensen

    In the population register of Oss; born 1867.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 19 records for Mortensen in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France5 records

5 records of the Mortensen name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Erik Torben Mortensen

    Born 1926 in Denmark; died 1998 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Raymonde Ragnil Marie Mortensen

    Born 1909 in Fontenay-aux-Roses (Hauts-de-Seine); died 1990 in Vitry-le-François (Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Bjorn Willy Mortensen

    Born 1941 in Norway; died 1993 in Saint-Émilion (Gironde).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Mortensen in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Norway2 records

2 records of the Mortensen name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Sigurd Mortensen

    Census of 1910: Vangen, Aurland; born 1899 in Aurland.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Karen Mortensen

    Census of 1910: Saglien, Vennesla; born 1876 in Vennesla.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Mortensen name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 1
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patricia Mortensen

    Died 1992, aged 36; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Johannes Christian Mortensen

    Buried in 1951 at Buffalo Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 57.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Mortensen.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Mortensen is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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