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

Oetken, 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 Oetken surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oetken in America

Oetken is the 39419th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oetken surname appeared 558 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 Oetken.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oetken 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 Oetken

The surname OETKEN is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Lower Saxon region of northwestern Germany, particularly in the areas around modern-day Bremen and Lower Saxony.

OETKEN is derived from an Old German word "Ode," which meant "prosperous" or "wealthy." It was likely used as a descriptive name for someone who lived on a prosperous farm or came from a well-to-do family. The suffix "-ken" or "-chen" was a common diminutive form used in Low German dialects, indicating a smaller or more intimate version of the name.

The earliest recorded instances of the OETKEN surname can be found in historical documents dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. One notable mention is in the Bremisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical records from the city of Bremen, where an individual named Hinrik Oetken is referenced in a document from 1482.

Another early example is found in the parish records of the village of Borgfeld, near Bremen, where a man named Johann Oetken was documented as a resident in the mid-16th century.

Throughout the centuries, variations in spelling and regional dialects have led to different forms of the name, such as Oetken, Ötken, Ödeken, and Oetkens. These variations were often influenced by the local pronunciation and written conventions of the time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the OETKEN surname was Johann Oetken, born around 1560 in Borgfeld, near Bremen. He was a farmer and landowner whose descendants continued to live in the area for generations.

Another notable figure was Claus Oetken, a merchant and guild member who lived in the city of Bremen in the early 17th century. He was involved in the thriving trade networks of the Hanseatic League and played a role in the economic development of the region.

In the 18th century, a man named Hinrich Oetken gained recognition as a prominent clockmaker and horologist in Bremen. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after and can still be found in museums and private collections today.

During the 19th century, the OETKEN surname spread beyond its original homeland as families migrated to other parts of Germany and abroad, particularly to North America. One such individual was Friedrich Oetken, born in 1825 in Oldenburg, who later emigrated to the United States and settled in Wisconsin, where he established a successful farming community.

Another notable figure was Margarethe Oetken, born in 1842 in Hanover, who became a respected educator and advocate for women's education in Germany. She founded several schools and played a significant role in promoting educational opportunities for girls and women in the late 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oetken

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Oetken, 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!