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

Oesterling, 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 Oesterling surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oesterling in America

Oesterling is the 39212th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oesterling surname appeared 561 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 Oesterling.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oesterling 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 Oesterling

The surname Oesterling originated in Germany, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old German word "oster," which means "east," and the suffix "-ling," indicating a person or place of origin. The name likely referred to someone who hailed from an eastern region or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oesterling can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dating back to 1258. The entry mentions a certain "Henricus Osterling," suggesting the name's presence in the region during that time.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records across German states, such as the Bavarian town of Landshut, where a "Hainricus Osterling" was documented in 1349. The spelling variations included "Osterling," "Osterlingen," and "Oesterlingen," reflecting regional dialects and scribal preferences.

Notably, the Oesterling name gained prominence in the city of Lübeck, a prominent member of the Hanseatic League, a powerful commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northern Europe. In 1468, a merchant named Johann Oesterling was mentioned in the city's annals as a respected figure in the local trade community.

Over the centuries, several individuals bearing the Oesterling surname have made their mark in various fields. One such figure was Johann Christoph Oesterling (1685-1743), a German theologian and writer who served as a pastor in Magdeburg and authored numerous religious works.

Another notable Oesterling was Carl Friedrich Oesterling (1805-1891), a German jurist and legal scholar who played a significant role in shaping the Prussian Civil Code and served as a professor of law at the University of Berlin.

In the realm of literature, Wilhelm Oesterling (1880-1949) was a German writer and poet who gained recognition for his lyrical works and translations of poems from various languages.

The name Oesterling also made its way into the world of music through the composer and conductor Joachim Oesterling (1881-1951), who served as the director of the Cologne Opera and conducted performances across Germany and Europe.

Another notable figure was the German-American engineer and inventor Reinhold Oesterling (1885-1962), who contributed to the development of early aircraft and held several patents in the field of aeronautics.

While the Oesterling surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread across various regions and countries due to migration and cultural exchange, carrying with it a rich history and legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oesterling

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

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

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

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