2000
#8,861
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,399
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.26
Rare Last name
Oney
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Nuadhain, meaning "descendant of Nuadhán," a personal name derived from nuadh, meaning "new."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,700 Americans carry the last name Oney. That puts it at #9,623 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 92,636 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Oney 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
3.7K
1 in 92,636
Census rank
#9,623
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,227 bearers of the surname Oney in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9623rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Oney, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Black (5.3%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Oney
The surname Oney originates from the British Isles, particularly England and Ireland, and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "oneg," meaning "lone" or "solitary," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived in isolation or a reclusive location.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions "Oney" as a landowner in the county of Berkshire, indicating that the name had already established roots in England by the late 11th century.
In the 13th century, records from the town of Oney in Buckinghamshire, England, provide evidence of individuals bearing the surname Oney. This place name is thought to have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.
One notable figure in the history of the Oney surname was Sir John Oney (1520-1587), a renowned English soldier and statesman who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He played a crucial role in the suppression of the Northern Rebellion in 1569 and was later appointed Governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Another significant individual was Mary Oney (1637-1717), a Quaker preacher and writer from Ireland. She was known for her religious writings and her advocacy for the rights of women within the Quaker community.
In Scotland, the Oney surname can be traced back to the 16th century, with records indicating that a branch of the family settled in the Highlands. One prominent Scottish figure was Alexander Oney (1685-1754), a member of the Jacobite army who fought alongside Bonnie Prince Charlie at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
The surname Oney has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout the British Isles. For example, Oney Hill in Gloucestershire, England, and Oney Island in County Donegal, Ireland, both bear the name, suggesting a historical connection with the surname.
Among other notable individuals with the Oney surname were William Oney (1780-1842), an English landscape painter renowned for his depictions of rural scenes, and Patrick Oney (1822-1901), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of Chicago in the late 19th century.
While the surname Oney may not be as widespread today as some other British surnames, its rich history and diverse roots across England, Ireland, and Scotland serve as a testament to the enduring legacy of this intriguing name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Oney
Among Census respondents with the surname Oney, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Black (5.3%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Oney 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 Oney surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.8% · 2,802
- Black or African American5.3% · 171
- Two or more races4.0% · 130
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 72
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 35
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Oney
Oney 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
#9,232
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,528
+129 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 1.20
Rank movement Down 371 places
2020
#9,623
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,227
-301 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 1.08
Rank movement Down 391 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,861 | 3,399 | 1.26 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,232 | 3,528 | 1.20 | +129 bearers (+3.8%) | Down 371 places |
| 2020 | #9,623 | 3,227 | 1.08 | -301 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 391 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 Oney 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 | #9,232 | #9,623 | -4.2% |
| Count | 3,528 | 3,227 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.20 | 1.08 | -10.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Oney bearers went from 3,528 to 3,227 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 391 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,232 to #9,623.
FAQ
Oney surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Oney?
Name Census estimates that about 3,700 living Americans carry the surname Oney. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 92,636 residents.
How common is Oney?
Oney ranks #9,623 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,227 people with the surname Oney. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,700), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Oney.
Has Oney become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Oney went from 3,528 recorded bearers to 3,227. That is a decrease of 301 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,232 to #9,623.
What does the Census say about the background of Oney?
Among Census respondents with the surname Oney, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Black (5.3%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Oney in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.8% (2,802 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Oney appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.8%), Black (5.3%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Oney (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 Oney mean?
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Nuadhain, meaning "descendant of Nuadhán," a personal name derived from nuadh, meaning "new." 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 Oney (1.08 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 common is the surname Oney?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Oney at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.