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

Ohta, 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 Ohta surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ohta in America

Ohta is the 49087th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ohta surname appeared 429 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 Ohta.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ohta 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 Ohta

The surname OHTA originated in Japan, with records dating back to the late 8th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Japanese word "ohta," which means "rice paddy" or "field." The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a rice field.

In ancient Japanese documents, such as the Shoku Nihongi, compiled in 797 AD, there are references to individuals with the surname OHTA. The name was particularly prevalent in the Kansai region of western Japan, which includes the modern-day prefectures of Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname OHTA was Ohta no Sadamitsu, a samurai warrior who lived during the Kamakura period (1185-1333). He was known for his loyalty and served under the famous shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo.

Another notable figure was Ohta Nobunaga (1558-1582), a powerful daimyo (feudal lord) during the Sengoku period. He was a skilled military strategist and played a crucial role in the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate.

In the late 16th century, the OHTA surname was also found in the Echigo Province (present-day Niigata Prefecture) and was associated with the Ohta clan, a prominent samurai family in the region.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), there were several OHTA scholars and artists, including Ohta Kinjō (1765-1825), a renowned painter and calligrapher from Edo (modern-day Tokyo).

Another significant individual was Ohta Masayoshi (1810-1878), a scholar and educator who played a crucial role in the modernization of Japan's education system during the Meiji Restoration.

Throughout the centuries, the OHTA surname has been associated with various place names, such as Ohta Village (now part of Hiroshima City) and Ohta Town (now part of Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture). These place names likely derived from the same root word as the surname, reflecting the historical connection between the name and rice cultivation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ohta

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

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

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

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