2000
#2,477
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,366
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.95
Uncommon Last name
Oh
A Korean surname derived from the Chinese surname 吳 (Wu), meaning "to exceed" or "to go beyond."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 22,285 Americans carry the last name Oh. That puts it at #1,808 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 6.50 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 15,380 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Oh surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Oh with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
22K
1 in 15,380
Census rank
#1,808
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
6.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
19K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 19,434 bearers of the surname Oh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 6.50 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1808th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Oh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.5%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Oh
The surname Oh has its origins in Korea, where it can be traced back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Korean word "oh," which means "jade" or "precious stone." The name is believed to have been first adopted by families who were involved in the jade trade or worked as jade artisans.
In the early Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), the Oh surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Gyeonggi and Chungcheong, where many jade mines and workshops were located. The name can be found in various historical records from this period, including genealogical records and local records.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the Oh surname dates back to the 15th century, when a man named Oh Seung-hun (1425-1493) served as a renowned scholar and government official during the reign of King Sejo. He is known for his contributions to the development of the Korean writing system, Hangul.
Another notable figure with the Oh surname was Oh Yun-ho (1571-1641), a prominent scholar and writer who lived during the Joseon Dynasty. He is best known for his works on Confucian philosophy and his poetry, which have been preserved and studied for generations.
In the late 19th century, Oh Yun-jung (1848-1896) was a pioneering educator and activist who advocated for the modernization of Korea's education system. He played a significant role in the establishment of the first modern schools in the country.
During the Korean Empire (1897-1910), Oh Sae-chon (1864-1916) was a prominent politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was instrumental in negotiating treaties and establishing diplomatic relations with foreign countries.
In the 20th century, Oh Yeong-su (1924-2022) was a renowned actor and filmmaker who left an indelible mark on Korean cinema. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the country's film industry and has received numerous awards and accolades for his work.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the Oh surname throughout history, illustrating the rich cultural and historical significance of this Korean name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Oh
Among Census respondents with the surname Oh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.5%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Oh bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Oh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander93.5% · 18,168
- White2.8% · 535
- Two or more races2.6% · 503
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 146
- Black or African American0.4% · 76
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Oh
Oh appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#1,978
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 18,285
+4,919 bearers (+36.8%)
Per 100,000 6.20
Rank movement Up 499 places
2020
#1,808
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 19,434
+1,149 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 6.50
Rank movement Up 170 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,477 | 13,366 | 4.95 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,978 | 18,285 | 6.20 | +4,919 bearers (+36.8%) | Up 499 places |
| 2020 | #1,808 | 19,434 | 6.50 | +1,149 bearers (+6.3%) | Up 170 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Oh surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,978 | #1,808 | 8.6% |
| Count | 18,285 | 19,434 | 6.3% |
| Per 100K | 6.20 | 6.50 | 4.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Oh bearers went from 18,285 to 19,434 (+6.3% change). The surname moved up 170 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,978 to #1,808.
FAQ
Oh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Oh?
Name Census estimates that about 22,285 living Americans carry the surname Oh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 15,380 residents.
How common is Oh?
Oh ranks #1,808 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 6.50 per 100,000 residents, which is about 7 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 19,434 people with the surname Oh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (22,285), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 6.5 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 6.50 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 7 of them to have the surname Oh.
Has Oh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Oh went from 18,285 recorded bearers to 19,434. That is an increase of 1,149 (+6.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #1,978 to #1,808.
What does the Census say about the background of Oh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Oh, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.5%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Oh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.5% (18,168 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Oh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (93.5%), White (2.8%), Two or More Races (2.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Oh (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Oh mean?
A Korean surname derived from the Chinese surname 吳 (Wu), meaning "to exceed" or "to go beyond." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Oh (6.50 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Oh?
Find out how many people are called Oh on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.