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

Obney, 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 Obney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Obney in America

Obney is the 102197th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Obney surname appeared 176 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 Obney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Obney 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 Obney

The surname OBNEY has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have been derived from the Old English words "oben" and "ey," which together mean "island of the oaks." This suggests that the name initially referred to someone who lived on an oak-covered island or near a prominent oak tree.

Records from the 13th century indicate that the name was first spelled as "Obeneye" or "Obenay." Over time, it evolved into its current form, OBNEY. Some of the earliest documented instances of this surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were medieval census records maintained by the English government.

In the 14th century, an individual named John Obney was mentioned in the Court Rolls of Lincolnshire, dated 1327. This is one of the earliest known references to the surname in official records.

During the 15th century, the name OBNEY appeared in several historical documents, including the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family in Norfolk. One letter, dated 1472, mentions a Thomas Obney who was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership.

A notable figure bearing the OBNEY surname was Sir William Obney (1525-1592), a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Warwickshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in local politics and was known for his support of the Church of England.

Another individual of historical importance was Elizabeth Obney (1680-1754), a renowned author and poet from Gloucestershire. Her collection of poems, titled "Verses from the Oak Grove," was widely acclaimed in literary circles of the time.

In the 18th century, the OBNEY name appeared in the records of several notable families, including the Obneys of Oxfordshire and the Obneys of Yorkshire. These families were known for their involvement in agriculture, business, and local governance.

One of the most famous individuals with the OBNEY surname was Sir Henry Obney (1802-1879), a celebrated explorer and naturalist. He undertook several expeditions to Africa and Asia, and his writings and discoveries contributed significantly to the fields of geography and botany.

Throughout its history, the surname OBNEY has been associated with various locations in England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Yorkshire. The name has also been found in various spellings, such as Obeneye, Obenay, and Obenei, reflecting its evolution over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Obney

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

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

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

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