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

Oehlert, 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 Oehlert surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oehlert in America

Oehlert is the 46314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oehlert surname appeared 460 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 Oehlert.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oehlert 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 Oehlert

The surname "OEHLERT" has its origins in Germany, where it first appeared in the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "Ölhirt," which translates to "oil herdsman" or "oil shepherd." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who worked with oil, possibly as a merchant or a shepherd responsible for the care of animals used in oil production.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various German historical documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable example is the appearance of Johannes Oehlert in the records of the city of Nuremberg in 1587. Another early reference is Hans Oehlert, a landowner mentioned in the village records of Obernbreit, Bavaria, in 1632.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Oehlert began to spread across various regions of Germany, with variations in spelling such as Öhlert, Oelert, and Ohlert. Some of these variations may have been influenced by local dialects or the preferences of individual families.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Heinrich Oehlert, a German scholar and theologian born in 1684 in the town of Neustadt, Saxony. He gained recognition for his writings on theology and philosophy. Another notable figure was Carl Friedrich Oehlert, a German composer and organist who lived from 1733 to 1798 and is credited with composing several church cantatas and organ works.

In the 19th century, the name Oehlert continued to be associated with various professions and fields. For example, Arnold Oehlert (1827-1899) was a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin, while Gustav Oehlert (1853-1919) was a German geologist and mineralogist who made significant contributions to the study of sedimentary rocks.

As the 20th century dawned, the name Oehlert remained present in various parts of Germany and neighboring countries. One notable bearer was Otto Oehlert (1906-1997), a German actor and theater director who worked extensively in both film and theater productions.

While the surname Oehlert is not among the most common in Germany today, it has a rich history dating back several centuries and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oehlert

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

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

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

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