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

Ok, 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 Ok surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ok in America

Ok is the 25659th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ok surname appeared 961 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 Ok.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ok 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 Ok

The surname "OK" has its origins in the small village of Okkenpaal, located in the northern region of the Netherlands. The name can be traced back to the early 16th century, deriving from the Dutch phrase "okken paal," which translates to "oak post" or "oak stake."

During the Dutch Golden Age, the village of Okkenpaal was known for its skilled woodworkers and carpenters who crafted sturdy oak posts and stakes used in construction and fortifications. The name "OK" became associated with these skilled artisans, and it gradually evolved into a surname adopted by families involved in this trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "OK" can be found in the municipal records of the city of Leiden, dated 1582. These records document a carpenter named Pieter OK, who was commissioned to construct a new town hall. Pieter's exceptional craftsmanship earned him a reputation, and his surname became synonymous with quality workmanship.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the surname "OK" was Joost OK, a master shipbuilder from the town of Enkhuizen. Joost OK (1620-1689) was renowned for his expertise in constructing sturdy and seaworthy vessels, many of which were used by the Dutch East India Company for their lucrative trade routes.

Another prominent individual with the surname "OK" was Willem OK (1745-1812), a skilled architect and engineer from Amsterdam. Willem OK was responsible for designing and overseeing the construction of several iconic buildings in the city, including the Beurs van Berlage, a renowned stock exchange building that showcased his innovative use of iron and glass.

During the Dutch colonial era, several members of the OK family migrated to the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia). One such figure was Hendrik OK (1780-1845), a plantation owner and businessman who amassed considerable wealth through the cultivation and trade of spices and coffee.

In the 19th century, the surname "OK" gained recognition in the field of academia. Pieter OK (1825-1901) was a distinguished linguist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of Dutch and Germanic languages. His comprehensive work, "De Nederlandse Talen en hun Oorsprong" (The Dutch Languages and Their Origins), remains a seminal text in the field of linguistics.

Throughout its history, the surname "OK" has been associated with skilled craftsmanship, innovation, and excellence in various fields, reflecting the legacy of its origins in the Dutch woodworking and construction trades.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ok

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

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

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

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