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

Ocean, 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 Ocean surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ocean in America

Ocean is the 47272nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ocean surname appeared 449 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 Ocean.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ocean 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 Ocean

The surname Ocean is an English name derived from a topographic description, referring to someone who lived near a large body of water or the ocean. It is believed to have originated in coastal regions of England, particularly in areas like Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset, where the influence of the sea was significant on the local culture and economy.

The name can be traced back to the late 12th century, with some of the earliest recorded instances appearing in medieval documents and tax records. One notable example is found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex from 1207, which mentions a Walter del Occean. This early spelling variation highlights the French influence on the English language during the Norman conquest.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms, such as Occean, Okcean, and Occiane, reflecting the inconsistent spellings common in that era. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Simon de Occean, who was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname began to take on its more modern spelling, with instances like John Occyon appearing in the Chancery Proceedings of 1428. This period also saw the name's association with place names, such as Ocean Town in Devon, which was recorded in the Feet of Fines for Devon in 1462.

Notable individuals with the Ocean surname include Sir William Ocean, a prominent English merchant and ship owner who lived in the late 16th century. He played a significant role in the establishment of trade routes between England and the Mediterranean region.

Another notable figure was James Ocean, a 17th-century English explorer and navigator who accompanied Sir Walter Raleigh on his voyages to the Americas. He was responsible for mapping and charting several coastal regions in the Caribbean and South America.

In the 18th century, the Ocean surname gained prominence with the rise of the British Royal Navy. One notable figure was Admiral Sir Thomas Ocean, who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was instrumental in several crucial naval victories against the French.

The 19th century saw the Ocean name spread to other parts of the British Empire, with individuals such as John Ocean, a settler in Australia who established a successful farming operation in New South Wales in the 1820s.

Throughout history, the Ocean surname has been associated with seafaring, exploration, and maritime activities, reflecting its origins and the influence of the ocean on the lives of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ocean

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

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

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

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