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

Oran, 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 Oran surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oran in America

Oran is the 45026th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oran surname appeared 476 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 Oran.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oran 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 Oran

The surname Oran is believed to have originated from the Gaelic language, particularly in Scotland and Ireland. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word "odhar," which means "pale" or "dun-colored." This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive nickname given to someone with a pale or swarthy complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oran can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1227, a person named "Oran Ua Dochartaigh" is mentioned, indicating that the name was in use during that period in Ireland.

The name Oran also appears in various Scottish records from the 13th century onwards. For example, in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1264, there is a reference to a "William Oran" who was a landowner in Perthshire.

In the 16th century, the surname Oran was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and Inverness-shire. One notable bearer of the name during this time was Donald Oran, a renowned piper who lived in the late 16th century and was known for his skill in playing the Great Highland Bagpipe.

Another notable figure with the surname Oran was Sir Robert Oran (1589-1658), a Scottish nobleman who served as a Member of Parliament and was involved in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. He was a staunch supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the surname Oran was also found in various parts of Ireland. One notable bearer of the name was Patrick Oran (1726-1801), an Irish-born soldier who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. He participated in several major battles, including the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of Yorktown.

As the name Oran spread across different regions, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged. Some alternative spellings include Oram, Orem, and Oron, which are still in use today, particularly in the United States and other parts of the English-speaking world.

Throughout history, the surname Oran has been associated with various occupations and professions, from pipers and soldiers to landowners and politicians. While its origins can be traced back to Scotland and Ireland, the name has since become more widely dispersed, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural exchanges that have shaped the diversity of surnames across the globe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oran

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!