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

Oquist, 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 Oquist surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oquist in America

Oquist is the 53538th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oquist surname appeared 386 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 Oquist.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oquist 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 Oquist

The surname Oquist is of Swedish origin and dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern region of Småland, where it was likely derived from the Old Norse words "ok" meaning "oak" and "vist" meaning "dwelling" or "place." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near an oak tree or in an area with a significant oak presence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oquist can be found in the parish records of Nöbbele, Småland, in the late 1500s. At that time, the spelling was often variations such as "Oqwist" or "Ockwist." These early spellings reflect the linguistic transition from Old Norse to modern Swedish, where the name eventually settled on the "Oquist" form.

During the 17th century, the Oquist name began to spread beyond Småland, appearing in records from neighboring regions like Östergötland and Västergötland. This was likely due to population movements and the establishment of new settlements by individuals bearing the surname.

Notable individuals with the Oquist surname throughout history include:

1. Johan Oquist (1676-1744), a Swedish theologian and professor at Uppsala University.
2. Carl Oquist (1792-1859), a Swedish merchant and shipowner who played a significant role in the development of Gothenburg's maritime trade.
3. Emilia Oquist (1818-1891), a Swedish author and feminist, known for her novels and advocacy for women's rights.
4. Gustav Oquist (1864-1937), a Swedish botanist and explorer, who conducted extensive research in South America and named several new plant species.
5. Inger Oquist (1912-1997), a Swedish actress and theater director, renowned for her performances in both classical and contemporary plays.

While the Oquist surname is not among the most common in Sweden, it has a rich history dating back several centuries and has been borne by notable figures in various fields, from academia and literature to business and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oquist

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

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

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

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