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

Orten, 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 Orten surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Orten in America

Orten is the 58735th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Orten surname appeared 345 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 Orten.

We can also compare 2010 data for Orten 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 Orten

The surname Orten originated in Germany, emerging in the 14th century. It is derived from the German word "Ort," meaning "place" or "location." This suggests that the name may have been initially used to identify individuals from a specific place or region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Orten surname can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, dated 1372, where a certain Heinz Orten is mentioned. This provides evidence that the name was already established in the region during the late medieval period.

In the 16th century, the Orten name appeared in various historical documents across southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. For instance, the church records of Augsburg from 1541 mention a Hans Orten, a prominent merchant engaged in the local textile trade.

Interestingly, the Orten surname shares similarities with the Dutch surname "Oorten," which likely has a common origin. This suggests that the name may have been carried by families migrating between the German and Dutch regions during the Middle Ages.

Notable individuals bearing the Orten surname throughout history include:

1. Wilhelm Orten (1677-1742), a German composer and organist from Stuttgart, known for his contributions to baroque church music.
2. Johann Orten (1805-1879), a German mathematician and educator who made significant advancements in the field of algebra and number theory.
3. Ludvig Orten (1819-1892), a Norwegian painter renowned for his landscape paintings depicting the rugged beauty of the Norwegian fjords.
4. Adelheid Orten (1876-1951), a German author and feminist activist who campaigned for women's rights and social reform in the early 20th century.
5. Erich Orten (1901-1975), a German-born American engineer and inventor, best known for his pioneering work in the development of early television technology.

While the Orten surname may have originated from a specific place or location in Germany, it has since spread across various regions and countries, carried by individuals and families throughout the centuries. The name's enduring presence serves as a testament to its historical significance and the rich tapestry of cultural heritage it represents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Orten

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

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

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

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