Rasmussen
Scott Rasmussen (born March 30, 1956) is an American pollster, political analyst, and entrepreneur best known for founding Rasmussen Reports, a public opinion research firm established in 2003 that pioneered automated telephone polling and daily tracking of voter sentiment on political and economic issues.[1][2] Rasmussen's career began in media innovation; in 1979, he co-founded ESPN with his father, Bill Rasmussen, leveraging emerging satellite technology to launch the first all-sports cable network.[1][3] He entered polling in the early 1990s, launching Rasmussen Research in 1994 as the first firm to release unfiltered data directly online, bypassing traditional media gatekeepers; the company was acquired by Bisys in 1999.[2] Rasmussen Reports gained prominence for its empirical focus on broad voter samples, achieving the second-most accurate electoral college projection in the 2016 U.S. presidential election according to RealClearPolitics metrics and forecasting Donald Trump's 2024 victory well in advance of mainstream consensus.[4][5] In 2013, Rasmussen departed Rasmussen Reports following disagreements over company direction, subsequently founding RMG Research to continue independent surveys emphasizing "counterpolling" of underrepresented demographics.[6][7] His methodology, which prioritizes likely voter screens and frequent releases, has drawn praise for capturing shifts in public mood overlooked by aggregated polls reliant on broader or adjusted samples, though critics from academia and legacy media outlets—often exhibiting systemic left-leaning biases in polling interpretation—have questioned its representativeness, labeling it right-leaning despite repeated alignment with election outcomes.[2][8] The Wall Street Journal dubbed him "America's Insurgent Pollster" for challenging establishment narratives with raw data-driven insights.[2] Rasmussen also authors books on governance and populism, and appears as a commentator on networks like Fox News.[9]Etymology and linguistic origins
Derivation and historical roots
The surname Rasmussen derives from the patronymic construction meaning "son of Rasmus," reflecting traditional Scandinavian naming practices where a father's given name formed the basis of a child's identifier.[10][11] The root personal name Rasmus is the Danish and Norwegian variant of Erasmus, originating from the Late Greek Erásmios (ἐράσμιος), an adjective denoting "beloved" or "desired," derived from the verb eraô ("to love").[12][10] This Greek etymology entered Scandinavian usage via Christian naming conventions, with Erasmus honoring early saints such as Erasmus of Formia, whose cult spread through medieval Europe.[12] In medieval Scandinavia, patronymics like Rasmussen were fluid generational markers rather than fixed hereditary surnames, with sons appending -sen (meaning "son") to the father's name in Danish and Norwegian contexts, while daughters used -datter.[13] This system predominated until the 19th century, when legal reforms in Denmark and Norway—such as Denmark's 1828 baptismal law mandating inheritable family names—transitioned many patronymics into permanent surnames, particularly among urban and middle-class populations.[13] The orthography Rasmussen adheres to Danish and Norwegian conventions, with double consonants distinguishing it from simpler variants in other Germanic languages, though similar forms appear in North German contexts as borrowings.[11] Prior to widespread fixation, the name's use remained tied to immediate paternal lineage, limiting its role as a stable identifier across centuries.[13]Prevalence and distribution
Demographic statistics
The surname Rasmussen ranks as the ninth most common in Denmark, borne by 85,241 individuals as of January 1, 2025, representing approximately 1.4% of the population.[14] In Norway, it holds the 41st position with 8,131 bearers, equivalent to a frequency of 1 in 632 residents.[15] In the United States, the 2010 Census recorded 36,636 individuals with the surname Rasmussen, ranking it 947th overall and occurring at a rate of about 1 in 8,430 people.[16] More recent estimates place the U.S. figure at around 42,000 bearers, with highest density in Utah (151 per 100,000 residents), reflecting historical Danish Mormon immigration, alongside concentrations in Midwestern states like Wisconsin and Minnesota due to broader Scandinavian settlement patterns.[17][18] Globally, Rasmussen is the 3,576th most common surname, held by an estimated 172,000 people worldwide, or 1 in 46,450 individuals, with over 60% concentrated in Europe—primarily Denmark, Norway, and Greenland—and significant diaspora in North America.[11]| Country | Incidence | National Rank | Approximate Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 85,241 | 9 | 1:69 |
| United States | 36,636 (2010) | 947 | 1:8,430 |
| Norway | 8,131 | 41 | 1:632 |