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

Odegard, 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 Odegard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Odegard in America

Odegard is the 17596th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Odegard surname appeared 1,597 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Odegard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Odegard 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 Odegard

The surname Odegard has its roots in Norway, originating in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old Norse words "odde," meaning a tongue or point of land, and "gardr," meaning a farm or enclosed area. The name likely referred to someone who lived on a farm or property located on a promontory or peninsula.

In its earliest recorded forms, the surname appeared with various spellings, such as Odegaard, Odegård, and Odegården, reflecting regional dialects and variations in written records. The name was widespread in coastal regions of Norway, where the topography often featured peninsulas and promontories.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Odegard can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian diplomatic documents, dating back to the 13th century. The name is mentioned in connection with individuals from various parts of Norway, including the western and southern regions.

Prominent individuals bearing the surname Odegard include Jens Odegard (1767-1829), a Norwegian farmer and politician who served as a member of the Storting, Norway's national assembly. Another notable figure was Kristian Odegard (1835-1904), a Norwegian-American Lutheran minister and educator who co-founded St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

In the realm of literature, Thorbjørn Odegard (1920-1997) was a celebrated Norwegian poet and writer, known for his poetic works exploring themes of nature, identity, and rural life. His collections, such as "Gyllen Munn" (Golden Mouth) and "Lyden av Stein" (The Sound of Stone), garnered critical acclaim.

Moving across the Atlantic, Charles Odegard (1909-1988) was an American historian and educator who served as the president of the University of Washington from 1958 to 1973. He played a significant role in the university's expansion and development during his tenure.

Another prominent figure with the surname Odegard was Arine Odegard (1901-1980), a Norwegian-American educator and advocate for children's rights. She was instrumental in establishing the first White House Conference on Children in 1909 and played a pivotal role in shaping policies related to child welfare in the United States.

While these are just a few examples, the surname Odegard has a long and rich history, reflecting its Norwegian origins and the influence of those who bore this name throughout the centuries, leaving their mark in various fields and across different parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Odegard

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

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

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

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