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

Oberly, 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 Oberly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oberly in America

Oberly is the 39004th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oberly surname appeared 565 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 Oberly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oberly 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 Oberly

The surname Oberly originates from the German-speaking regions of Europe, with its earliest known origins dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "ober," which means "upper" or "over," and was likely used to describe someone who lived in an elevated area or a higher-lying settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Oberly name can be found in the parish records of the German town of Kaiserslautern in the Palatinate region, where a certain Hans Oberly was documented in 1586. The name also appears in various other historical records from the Rhineland and neighboring areas during the 16th and 17th centuries, sometimes with variations in spelling such as Oberli, Oberley, or Oberlein.

In the early 18th century, the Oberly name began to spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, as many German immigrants and their descendants sought new opportunities abroad. One notable individual from this period was Johann Oberly, a German-born settler who arrived in Pennsylvania in the 1730s and later fought in the American Revolutionary War.

As the Oberly family continued to disperse throughout the centuries, the name became established in various regions and countries. One prominent example is William Oberly, a British politician and Member of Parliament who lived from 1807 to 1888. Another is August Oberly, an American newspaper publisher and politician from Illinois, who was born in 1840 and played a significant role in the Republican Party during the latter half of the 19th century.

Other notable individuals with the Oberly surname include Johann Oberly, a German-American farmer and winemaker in Missouri who lived from 1821 to 1899, and Charles Oberly, an American artist and illustrator active in the early 20th century, known for his work in magazines and children's books.

Throughout its history, the Oberly name has been associated with various occupations and professions, from agriculture and politics to publishing and the arts. While its precise origins and earliest bearers may be lost to time, the surname remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage and diverse journeys of those who carried it across generations and continents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oberly

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

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

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

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