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

Oken, 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 Oken surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oken in America

Oken is the 61297th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oken surname appeared 328 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 Oken.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oken 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 Oken

The surname Oken originates from England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a toponymic name, derived from the Old English word "ac," meaning oak, and the suffix "-en," denoting a place or locality. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place where oak trees were abundant or a settlement near an oak grove.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oken can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as Oken, Oacken, and Ockene, indicating its phonetic variations over time.

During the 13th century, a family bearing the name Oken was recorded in the county of Gloucestershire. This is further supported by the existence of a place called Oakenhall, located in the same region, which may have contributed to the name's origin.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Oken (c.1310-1349) was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London. He played an influential role in the city's governance and trade during his lifetime.

Another individual of historical significance was Robert Oken (1565-1623), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1617 to 1619.

In the 18th century, a family by the name of Oken resided in the village of Oakham, Rutland, which may have been derived from the Old English words "ōac" (oak) and "hām" (home), further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the oak tree.

The name Oken has also been associated with various places in England, such as Okenbury in Wiltshire and Oken in Staffordshire, both of which may have contributed to the surname's origin or influenced its spelling variations.

Notable individuals with the surname Oken include:

1. Lorenz Oken (1779-1851), a German naturalist and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of biology.
2. Mary Oken (1843-1923), an American educator and suffragist who advocated for women's rights and education reform.
3. William Oken (1901-1978), a British artist known for his landscape paintings and portraiture.
4. James Oken (1926-2010), an American lawyer and civil rights activist who fought against racial discrimination.
5. Sarah Oken (b. 1985), a contemporary British author and journalist known for her work on environmental issues.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oken

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

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

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

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