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

Oehmke, 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 Oehmke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oehmke in America

Oehmke is the 73005th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oehmke surname appeared 266 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 Oehmke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oehmke 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 Oehmke

The surname Oehmke is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages in regions now part of modern-day Germany. It is believed to have originated as a locational surname, derived from a place name that no longer exists or has been obscured over time.

Early written records of the name are scarce, but it is thought to have first appeared in the late 13th or early 14th century. One of the earliest documented bearers of the surname was Hans Oehmke, a merchant who lived in the city of Hamburg in the 1400s.

In the 16th century, the name is found in various medieval documents and records, such as tax rolls and parish registers. Notable individuals from this era include Johann Oehmke, a Lutheran theologian and scholar who lived from 1524 to 1587, and Gertrude Oehmke, a landowner in the town of Quedlinburg, mentioned in a land deed from 1573.

As the centuries passed, the Oehmke surname spread across different parts of Germany, with variations in spelling emerging, such as Oemke, Öhmke, and Oehmlke. In the 18th century, Johann Friedrich Oehmke (1719-1784) gained recognition as a prominent jurist and legal scholar in the city of Hamburg.

During the 19th century, several individuals with the Oehmke surname made their mark in various fields. Carl Oehmke (1818-1899) was a renowned German painter and illustrator, known for his landscapes and genre scenes. Theodor Oehmke (1846-1919) was a respected historian and author, publishing works on the history of German literature and culture.

One of the most famous bearers of the Oehmke surname in modern times was Philipp Oehmke (1901-1985), a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party. He served as a member of the Bundestag, the German federal parliament, from 1949 to 1965.

While the Oehmke surname has its roots firmly planted in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and migration. Nevertheless, its origins remain deeply intertwined with the rich cultural heritage and history of the German people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oehmke

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

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

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

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