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

Orenstein, 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 Orenstein surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Orenstein in America

Orenstein is the 19671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Orenstein surname appeared 1,370 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 Orenstein.

We can also compare 2010 data for Orenstein 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 Orenstein

The surname Orenstein is of German origin, originating from the region of Silesia in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Ohrenstein," which means "earstone" or "tinnitus." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who suffered from a ringing in the ears or was hard of hearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Orenstein can be found in the town records of Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) in the 14th century. The name was likely associated with a family or individual who resided in or near the town of Ohrenstein, which was a small village located in the region of Silesia during that period.

In the 16th century, the name Orenstein appeared in various historical documents and records across German-speaking regions, often with slight variations in spelling, such as Ohrenstein, Ohrenstain, or Ohrensteine. This was common during that time due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One notable individual with the surname Orenstein was Johann Orenstein, a German mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1480 to 1534. He is known for his contributions to the development of astronomical instruments and his work on planetary motion.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Henryk Orenstein, a Polish-Jewish writer and translator who lived from 1923 to 1998. He is best known for his memoirs and works documenting the experiences of Polish Jews during World War II.

In the 19th century, the Orenstein family played a significant role in the industrial development of Silesia. Carl Orenstein (1811-1876) established the Orenstein & Koppel company in 1837, which became one of the leading manufacturers of railway equipment and machinery in the region.

Other notable individuals with the surname Orenstein include David Orenstein (1923-2012), an American writer and illustrator of children's books, and José Orenstein (1921-2004), a Mexican painter and sculptor known for his abstract and surrealist works.

While the surname Orenstein is not among the most common surnames worldwide, it has a rich history rooted in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, with various branches and variations emerging across different countries and cultures over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Orenstein

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

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

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

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