2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Omen
A surname possibly relating to an auspicious sign, portent or omen.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Omen. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Omen surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Omen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Omen, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (16.0%) and Black (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Omen
The surname Omen is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "omen," which means a prophetic sign or portent. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was believed to have the ability to interpret omens or signs.
Records show that the name Omen first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The earliest recorded bearer of the name was William Omen, who held lands in Oxfordshire.
In the 13th century, the name was also found in various forms, such as Omene, Omyn, and Omman. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.
During the medieval period, surnames were often derived from occupations or personal characteristics. The name Omen may have been given to someone who was skilled in interpreting omens or signs, perhaps a soothsayer or a wise person in the community.
One notable bearer of the name was John Omen, who lived in the 15th century and was a prominent merchant in the city of Bristol. He was involved in the wool trade and played an essential role in the city's economic prosperity.
Another historically significant figure was Sir Robert Omen, who served as a military commander during the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century. He fought for the Yorkist cause and was recognized for his bravery on the battlefield.
In the 16th century, the name was found in various areas of England, including Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Gloucestershire. One notable bearer from this period was William Omen, a landowner in Oxfordshire who was recorded in the parish records of the time.
Moving into the 17th century, the name Omen was also found in Scotland, where it is believed to have been introduced by English settlers. One notable Scottish bearer was Alexander Omen, who was a merchant and landowner in Edinburgh.
In the 18th century, the name continued to be found in various parts of England and Scotland. One notable bearer from this period was John Omen, a renowned clockmaker from London who was known for his intricate and precise timepieces.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Omen
Among Census respondents with the surname Omen, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (16.0%) and Black (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Omen bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Omen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.4% · 85
- American Indian and Alaska Native16.0% · 19
- Black or African American5.0% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.2% · 5
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Omen
Omen appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-13 bearers (-11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,930 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+15 bearers (+14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,256 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-11.1%) | Down 22,930 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+14.4%) | Up 13,256 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Omen surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #142,788 | 8.5% |
| Count | 104 | 119 | 14.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Omen bearers went from 104 to 119 (+14.4% change). The surname moved up 13,256 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #142,788.
FAQ
Omen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Omen?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Omen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Omen?
Omen ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Omen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Omen.
Has Omen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Omen went from 104 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 15 (+14.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Omen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Omen, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (16.0%) and Black (5.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Omen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.4% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Omen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (16.0%), Black (5.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Omen (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Omen mean?
A surname possibly relating to an auspicious sign, portent or omen. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Omen (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Omen?
See how many people have the last name Omen on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.