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

Omstead, 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 Omstead surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Omstead in America

Omstead is the 83226th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Omstead surname appeared 226 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 Omstead.

We can also compare 2010 data for Omstead 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 Omstead

The surname Omstead originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name that no longer exists or has undergone significant changes over time. Some historians suggest that it may have roots in the Old English words "om" or "holm," which refer to a meadow or a river island, respectively.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Omstead can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk, dated around 1166. These rolls were records of financial transactions and taxes paid to the Crown during the reign of King Henry II. The name appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk during this period.

In the late 13th century, the Omstead name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, which were records of landowners and their holdings. This suggests that the family had established itself in various parts of England by that time.

During the 14th century, several notable individuals bearing the Omstead surname emerged. One such person was John Omstead, a merchant from Norwich who was mentioned in the city's records in 1342. Another was William Omstead, a landowner in Suffolk, whose name appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1377.

In the 16th century, the Omstead surname gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Omstead (1510-1582), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Dean of Durham Cathedral. He was a prominent figure in the English Reformation and contributed significantly to the translation of the King James Bible.

Another noteworthy individual was Sir Robert Omstead (1578-1644), a member of the English gentry and a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War. He served as a colonel in the Parliamentarian army and played a crucial role in several battles.

In the 18th century, the Omstead name was associated with the literary world through the works of the poet and playwright, William Omstead (1714-1788). His most famous work was a satirical play entitled "The Court of Apollo," which satirized the literary culture of his time.

Throughout its history, the Omstead surname has been subject to various spellings, including Omstede, Omstedd, Omstedde, and Omsteeade, reflecting the fluidity of spelling conventions in earlier times.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Omstead

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

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

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

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