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

Oberlin, 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 Oberlin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oberlin in America

Oberlin is the 16462nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oberlin surname appeared 1,746 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Oberlin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oberlin 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 Oberlin

The surname OBERLIN is of German origin, derived from the regional name "Oberlin" which means "upper meadow" or "high pasture." It dates back to the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century, and was likely used as a descriptive surname for someone residing in an area known for its elevated meadows or pastures.

The earliest recorded instances of the name OBERLIN can be traced back to southern Germany, particularly in regions like Bavaria and Swabia. It's believed that the name may have originated as a place name referring to a specific location or village with a similar name, such as Oberlin or Oberlinden.

In historical records, the name OBERLIN appears in various spellings, including Oberlin, Oberlein, Oberlein, and Oberlin. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest documented references to the name OBERLIN can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Salemitanus," a collection of medieval charters and documents from the Benedictine monastery of Salem in southwestern Germany, dating back to the 13th century.

Notable individuals with the surname OBERLIN throughout history include:

1. Jean-Frédéric Oberlin (1740-1826), a French Protestant pastor and philanthropist known for his work in the Ban de la Roche region of Alsace.
2. Johann Friedrich Oberlin (1734-1806), a German Protestant theologian and philosopher who taught at the University of Strasbourg.
3. Johann Jakob Oberlin (1725-1798), a German theologian and educator who founded the Philantropinum in Dessau, one of the first modern schools in Germany.
4. Johann Georg Oberlin (1677-1743), a German theologian and author who wrote extensively on the interpretation of the Bible.
5. Adam Oberlin (1589-1663), a German Lutheran theologian and educator who served as the rector of the Gymnasium in Windsheim, Bavaria.

While the surname OBERLIN originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the early medieval period in southern Germany, where it likely originated as a descriptive name for individuals residing in elevated meadows or pastures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oberlin

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

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 Oberlin 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 Oberlin 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 Oberlin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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