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

Ohm, 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 Ohm surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ohm in America

Ohm is the 15464th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ohm surname appeared 1,894 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Ohm.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ohm 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 Ohm

The surname Ohm is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old High German word "oumo," meaning "granduncle" or "ancestor." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who was an elder or a respected member of the community.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Ohm can be found in various German records and documents from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. One notable example is the mention of a certain Johann Ohm in the church records of the town of Bamberg, dated 1586.

In the 18th century, the surname Ohm gained prominence with the birth of Georg Simon Ohm, a renowned German physicist and mathematician. Born in 1789 in Erlangen, Bavaria, Ohm is best known for his groundbreaking work on electrical circuits and the formulation of Ohm's law, which describes the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance. His contributions to the field of electromagnetism were instrumental in the development of modern electrical engineering.

Another notable figure with the surname Ohm was Martin Ohm, a German jurist and statesman who lived from 1792 to 1872. He served as the Minister of Justice for the Kingdom of Prussia and played a significant role in the legal reforms of the time.

The name Ohm can also be traced back to various place names in Germany, such as the town of Ohmbachsiedlung in Bavaria, which may have influenced the spelling and spread of the surname in certain regions.

Throughout history, there have been several other individuals bearing the surname Ohm who have made notable contributions in various fields. For instance, Johann Ohm (1856-1929) was a German architect known for his work in the Historicist style, while Christian Ohm (1835-1898) was a German-American brewer and businessman who founded the Ohm Brewing Company in Los Angeles, California.

It is worth noting that while the surname Ohm is primarily associated with Germany, it has also spread to other parts of the world through emigration and cultural exchange, making it a part of the diverse tapestry of surnames found in various countries and communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ohm

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

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

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

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