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

Oprea, 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 Oprea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oprea in America

Oprea is the 43285th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oprea surname appeared 499 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 Oprea.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oprea 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 Oprea

The surname Oprea has its origins in Romania, tracing back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Romanian personal name Oprea, which itself comes from the Greek name Opreas, meaning "prosperous" or "wealthy."

The earliest known records of the Oprea surname appear in medieval documents from the Principality of Wallachia, a historical Romanian principality. The name was particularly prevalent in the region around Bucharest, the capital of modern-day Romania.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Oprea surname was Mihai Oprea, a Romanian nobleman who lived in the late 15th century. He was a close advisor to Vlad the Impaler, the infamous Wallachian prince who inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula character.

In the 16th century, the Oprea name appeared in several historical records from the nearby Principality of Moldavia, another Romanian principality. One such record mentions a merchant named Ion Oprea, who traded goods along the Prut River.

During the 17th century, the Oprea surname spread to other parts of Romania, including Transylvania. In 1652, a village called Oprea was established in the region, likely named after an early settler with the Oprea surname.

One of the most prominent individuals with the Oprea surname was Alexandru Oprea, a Romanian politician and military leader who lived from 1834 to 1919. He played a crucial role in the unification of Wallachia and Moldavia, which eventually led to the formation of the modern Romanian state.

Another notable figure was Dumitru Oprea, a Romanian painter and sculptor who lived from 1862 to 1932. His works were heavily influenced by the traditional folk art of Romania and are now considered important examples of the country's cultural heritage.

In the early 20th century, the Oprea surname gained international recognition with the birth of Gheorghe Oprea, a Romanian-born French actor who lived from 1912 to 1997. He appeared in numerous French films and television shows throughout his long career.

While the Oprea surname is most commonly associated with Romania, it has also spread to other parts of Eastern Europe and beyond due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots remain firmly planted in the rich cultural and historical traditions of Romania.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oprea

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

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

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

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