2000
#7,368
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,168
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.55
Rare Last name
Oconner
Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Conchobhair, meaning "descendant of Conchobhar" (a personal name meaning "lover of hounds").
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,506 Americans carry the last name Oconner. That puts it at #10,050 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.02 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 97,762 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Oconner surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Oconner with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.5K
1 in 97,762
Census rank
#10,050
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,057 bearers of the surname Oconner in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.02 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10050th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Oconner, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.7%. The next largest groups are Black (15.9%) and Hispanic (5.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Oconner
The surname O'Conner is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Ó Conchobhair, which means "descendant of Conchobhar." Conchobhar was a popular personal name in ancient Ireland, consisting of the elements "con" meaning hound, and "cobhar" meaning help or assistance.
The name O'Conner is one of the most widespread and prominent surnames in Ireland, particularly associated with the province of Connacht. The O'Conners were a powerful dynasty that ruled over the Kingdom of Connacht from the 5th to the 16th century.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name O'Conner can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. It mentions Toirdhealbhach Ua Conchobhair (Turlough O'Conor) as the King of Connacht in the 12th century.
In the 13th century, the O'Conners of Connacht played a significant role in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland. Felim O'Conor, who ruled from 1233 to 1265, is noted for his resistance against the Norman invaders.
Another notable figure in Irish history was Roderic O'Conor (1116-1198), the last High King of Ireland. He was the last native ruler to claim the title of King of Ireland before the Norman invasion.
During the 16th century, the O'Conners were among the Gaelic Irish families that were dispossessed of their lands and power by the Tudor reconquest of Ireland. However, the name remained prominent and spread throughout Ireland and beyond.
One of the most famous individuals with the surname O'Conner was Thomas O'Conner (1770-1855), a renowned Irish Catholic priest and educator. He founded several schools and colleges in Ireland and played a crucial role in promoting Catholic education.
Other notable individuals with the surname include Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964), an American novelist and short story writer known for her works exploring moral and religious themes, and Sinéad O'Connor (born 1966), an Irish singer-songwriter known for her powerful vocals and controversial opinions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Oconner
Among Census respondents with the surname Oconner, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.7%. The next largest groups are Black (15.9%) and Hispanic (5.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Oconner bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Oconner surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.7% · 2,254
- Black or African American15.9% · 485
- Hispanic or Latino5.5% · 169
- Two or more races3.5% · 107
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 21
Timeline
Historical Census data for Oconner
Oconner appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,611
-557 bearers (-13.4%)
Per 100,000 1.22
Rank movement Down 1,680 places
2020
#10,050
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,057
-554 bearers (-15.3%)
Per 100,000 1.02
Rank movement Down 1,002 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,368 | 4,168 | 1.55 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,048 | 3,611 | 1.22 | -557 bearers (-13.4%) | Down 1,680 places |
| 2020 | #10,050 | 3,057 | 1.02 | -554 bearers (-15.3%) | Down 1,002 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Oconner surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,048 | #10,050 | -11.1% |
| Count | 3,611 | 3,057 | -15.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.22 | 1.02 | -16.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Oconner bearers went from 3,611 to 3,057 (-15.3% change). The surname moved down 1,002 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,048 to #10,050.
FAQ
Oconner surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Oconner?
Name Census estimates that about 3,506 living Americans carry the surname Oconner. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 97,762 residents.
How common is Oconner?
Oconner ranks #10,050 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.02 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,057 people with the surname Oconner. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,506), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.02 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.02 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Oconner.
Has Oconner become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Oconner went from 3,611 recorded bearers to 3,057. That is a decrease of 554 (-15.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,048 to #10,050.
What does the Census say about the background of Oconner?
Among Census respondents with the surname Oconner, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.7%. The next largest groups are Black (15.9%) and Hispanic (5.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Oconner in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.7% (2,254 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Oconner appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (73.7%), Black (15.9%), Hispanic (5.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Oconner (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Oconner mean?
Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Conchobhair, meaning "descendant of Conchobhar" (a personal name meaning "lover of hounds"). The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Oconner (1.02 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Oconner?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.