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

Ochs, 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 Ochs surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ochs in America

Ochs is the 5853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ochs surname appeared 5,901 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Ochs.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ochs 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 Ochs

The surname OCHS originated in Germany, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the German word "Ochs," which means "ox" or "bull," suggesting an occupational connection to cattle or oxen-related trades or professions.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records mentioning individuals bearing this surname in various regions of Germany, particularly in the southern and central areas. Some early spellings of the name include Ochse, Ochss, and Oxe.

One of the earliest documented references to the OCHS surname can be found in the Reichsteuerlisten (Imperial Tax Lists) of 1497, which recorded individuals with this name living in the regions of Württemberg and Bavaria.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in several historical records, such as the Nürnberger Bürgerbuch (Nuremberg Citizen Book) of 1506, which listed a certain Hans Ochs as a resident of the city.

Over the centuries, the OCHS surname has been associated with several notable individuals, including:

1. Philipp Ochs (1554-1604), a German jurist and professor of law at the University of Heidelberg.
2. Johann Rudolf Ochs (1673-1749), a Swiss painter known for his religious and mythological works.
3. Peter Ochs (1749-1821), a German philosopher and theologian, who served as a professor at the University of Basel.
4. Johann Ferdinand Ochs (1779-1845), a German composer and music theorist, best known for his contributions to the field of musical pedagogy.
5. Johann Rudolph Ochs (1817-1886), a Swiss-American journalist and publisher, who founded the influential newspaper The New York Times in 1851.

The OCHS surname was also associated with various place names in Germany, such as Ochsenfurt, a town in Bavaria, and Ochsenbach, a village in Baden-Württemberg, which likely served as sources for the surname's origin or spread.

Throughout its history, the OCHS surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artisans, academics, artists, and professionals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ochs

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

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

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

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