until the last wolf was shot in 1813. As conditions were excellent for beekeeping, beehives producing honey were documented in the fields in the 1650s and 1660s. Beekeeping declined with increasing cultivation of the land by local farmers. Demographics As of August 2022, Billund had 6742 residents. The town has experienced growth due to recent rapid development. Billund Municipality grew to 27,016 in the same month, which was an increase from 26,133 recorded in 2007. In the Middle Ages, the region was sparsely populated and centred around five or six parish churches that were built in the 12th Century. There was no significant development in the population until towards the end of the Middle Ages. Near the end of the 15th Century and at the beginning of the 16th Century, several small settlements appeared across the municipality, including Billund. A period of population growth in the 16th Century was followed by stagnation in the 17th Century, due to wars and epidemics during this period. By 1700, the population began to grow once more, so that by the time of the census of 1787, there were 1,686 people living in the municipal area consisting of five parishes. By 1850, the municipal population had increased to 2,721. From 1850 the municipality experienced strong population growth. The number of inhabitants rose from 2,721 to 3,816 in 1870. The population continued to rise to 5,350 in 1890 and 7,929 in 1916. In 1850, Grindsted was the largest town with 42 inhabitants, while Billund only consisted of a number of farms. Between 1920 and 1970, the population of Billund Municipality doubled from 9,912 inhabitants in 1921 to 12,835 in 1940 and 20,030 in 1965. Driven by strong growth in industry, the population of Grene Parish, including Billund, rose from 994 in 1925 to 2,699 in 1970. In the beginning of the 1930s Billund was still a small village with only 300 residents. In the 1950s the village reached 500 residents and after this time that number increased rapidly. Population growth exploded due to The Lego Group's rapid expansion in the mid-1960s. By 1970, Billund Municipality had 21,073 residents. This rose to 24,915 in 1990 and 26,076 in 2005. Billund's population also increased from 2,015 in 1970 to 6,034 in 2007. In 2007, the number of commuters was approximately 5,000 as there were twice as many jobs in the town than the local population could fill.