Find out how popular the last name Oberhausen is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Oberhausen.

Oberhausen, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Oberhausen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oberhausen in America

Oberhausen is the 62531st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oberhausen surname appeared 320 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Oberhausen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oberhausen to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Oberhausen

The surname Oberhausen originated in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is a locational name, derived from the town of Oberhausen, located in the Ruhr area of North Rhine-Westphalia. The name literally means "upper house" or "upper dwelling" in German, suggesting that it may have referred to a house or settlement situated on higher ground.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Henricus de Obernhusen, who was mentioned in a document from the city of Dortmund in 1279. This early spelling variation, "Obernhusen," highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the 14th century, the name Oberhausen appeared in various historical records, including the Codex Diplomaticus Lubecensis, a collection of documents related to the city of Lübeck. This suggests that individuals with this surname had migrated to other parts of Germany during that period.

Notably, the Oberhausen name was associated with a prominent family of merchants and landowners in the Ruhr region during the 15th and 16th centuries. One notable figure was Johann Oberhausen (1472-1539), a wealthy merchant and member of the town council in Oberhausen.

Another individual of note was Gottfried Oberhausen (1598-1669), a German Protestant theologian and author who served as a professor at the University of Jena. His works on theology and philosophy were widely influential during the 17th century.

In the 19th century, the industrialization of the Ruhr region led to an influx of workers and families bearing the Oberhausen surname. One notable figure from this era was August Oberhausen (1845-1922), a pioneering engineer who played a crucial role in the development of the coal mining industry in the region.

Other notable individuals with the Oberhausen surname include Hans Oberhausen (1888-1944), a German architect known for his innovative designs in the Bauhaus style, and Petra Oberhausen (born 1962), a contemporary German author and journalist.

While the Oberhausen name has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and historical events. However, its origins can be traced back to the town of Oberhausen and the broader Ruhr region, where it has a rich and storied history spanning several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oberhausen

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Oberhausen.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Oberhausen was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Oberhausen has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Oberhausen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Oberhausen, please contact us.

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