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

Okeson, 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 Okeson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Okeson in America

Okeson is the 40494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Okeson surname appeared 540 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 Okeson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Okeson 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 Okeson

The surname OKESON is of English origin, arising in the medieval period. It is a patronymic name, derived from the given name Oke, a diminutive form of the personal name Ocker, itself a variant of the Norman French name Ogier. The suffix "-son" denotes "son of", indicating that the original bearer was the son of a man named Oke.

OKESON can be traced back to the 13th century in various records and manuscripts. One notable appearance is in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mention a John Ockeson. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 also list a Robert Okeson.

The earliest recorded bearer of the name was likely William Okeson, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1202. Other early examples include John Okeson, recorded in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1279, and Johanna Okeson, listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327.

Variations in spelling over the centuries include Ockeson, Ockyson, and Ockison. The name is also linked to certain place names, such as Ockbrook in Derbyshire, which may have influenced some spellings like Ockbrookson.

Notable individuals with the surname OKESON throughout history include:

1. Thomas Okeson (c. 1460 - 1530), an English merchant and alderman from Bristol, known for his involvement in the city's trade and governance.

2. John Okeson (c. 1520 - 1586), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Michael's Church in Coventry during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

3. Elizabeth Okeson (c. 1580 - 1647), a landowner and philanthropist from Yorkshire, who bequeathed significant funds for the establishment of a school in her hometown.

4. Robert Okeson (c. 1620 - 1698), a farmer and member of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, known for his participation in the defense of the colony during King Philip's War.

5. William Okeson (1765 - 1842), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and was commended for his actions during the Battle of Trafalgar.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Okeson

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

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

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

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