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

Oehler, 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 Oehler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oehler in America

Oehler is the 14294th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oehler surname appeared 2,095 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 Oehler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oehler 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 Oehler

The surname Oehler has its origins in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Oehler," which referred to a person who operated an oil mill or produced oil. The name was prominent in various regions of Germany, particularly in areas where oil production was a significant industry.

One of the earliest known references to the name Oehler can be found in the records of the city of Nuremberg, where an individual named Hans Oehler was documented as a citizen in the year 1532. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence and its association with the region during that time period.

Another notable reference to the surname Oehler comes from the town of Schweinfurt in Bavaria, Germany. In the 17th century, a family bearing the name Oehler was recorded as owners of a successful oil mill, further solidifying the connection between the name and the oil production industry.

As time progressed, the name Oehler spread to other parts of Germany and beyond. In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Johann Gottfried Oehler (1718-1796) made significant contributions to the field of theology and served as a professor at the University of Tübingen in Württemberg.

Moving into the 19th century, the name Oehler gained recognition through the work of Gustav Friedrich Oehler (1812-1872), a German theologian and scholar who specialized in the study of the Old Testament. His writings and teachings had a lasting impact on the field of biblical studies.

Crossing the Atlantic, the name Oehler also found its way to the United States. One notable individual was Hugo Oehler (1845-1915), a German-American architect who designed several prominent buildings in New York City, including the Judson Memorial Church and the former headquarters of the New York Life Insurance Company.

Throughout history, the surname Oehler has been associated with various professions and achievements, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those who bear this name. From its origins in the oil industry to contributions in theology, academia, and architecture, the name Oehler has left its mark across different regions and eras.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oehler

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!