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

Oei, 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 Oei surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oei in America

Oei is the 47706th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oei surname appeared 444 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 Oei.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oei 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 Oei

The surname OEI has its origins in the Netherlands, where it first appeared in historical records during the 16th century. It is derived from the Dutch word "ooi," which means "ewe" or "female sheep." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person who worked with sheep or lived in an area known for sheep farming.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name OEI can be found in the Gelderland region of the Netherlands, where a farmer named Dirck Oei was mentioned in a land registry document dated 1572. The name was also present in other parts of the country, such as the province of Noord-Brabant, where a man named Hendrick Oei was listed in a church baptismal record from 1604.

In the 17th century, the name OEI gained further prominence in the Netherlands. A notable figure with this surname was Jan Oei, a merchant and ship owner who lived in the city of Haarlem from 1620 to 1691. His successful trading ventures contributed to the Dutch Golden Age, and he was known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local charities and institutions.

As Dutch settlers and traders began to explore and colonize other parts of the world, the surname OEI spread to various regions. In the 18th century, a family by the name of Oei settled in the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia), where they established themselves as successful traders and plantation owners. One of their descendants, Adrianus Oei (1793-1869), became a prominent figure in the region and played a significant role in the cultivation of coffee and spices.

In the 19th century, the OEI surname appeared in various parts of Europe, including Germany and Belgium. One notable individual from this period was Pieter Oei (1825-1901), a Dutch-born artist who gained recognition for his landscape paintings and became a member of the prestigious Pulchri Studio art society in The Hague.

Another significant figure with the surname OEI was Willem Oei (1870-1942), a Dutch engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early aviation technology. He designed and built several experimental aircraft in the early 20th century, including the Oei-1, which was one of the first successful monoplanes in the Netherlands.

Throughout its history, the surname OEI has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, trade, art, and engineering. While its origins can be traced back to the Netherlands, the name has since spread to different parts of the world, carried by Dutch settlers and immigrants. Despite its diverse geographical distribution, the surname OEI remains a recognizable symbol of Dutch heritage and cultural identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oei

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

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

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

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