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

Osberg, 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 Osberg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osberg in America

Osberg is the 29947th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osberg surname appeared 784 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 Osberg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Osberg 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 Osberg

The surname Osberg is believed to have originated in Sweden during the medieval period. It is derived from a combination of the Old Norse words "ös," meaning "mouth of a river," and "berg," meaning "hill" or "mountain." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near the mouth of a river at the foot of a hill or mountain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Osberg can be found in the Västergötland County records of the 13th century, where a landowner named Erik Osberg is mentioned. The name also appears in various Swedish parish records and tax rolls from the 15th and 16th centuries, indicating its widespread use across different regions of the country.

In the 17th century, the Osberg name gained prominence with the birth of Johan Osberg (1635-1709), a renowned Swedish theologian and bishop of the Diocese of Göteborg. His contributions to religious literature and his influence within the Lutheran church solidified the Osberg name's association with academic and ecclesiastical circles.

Another notable figure with the Osberg surname was Carl Osberg (1789-1867), a Swedish military officer who served in the Royal Swedish Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He earned distinction for his bravery and leadership in several battles, including the Battle of Leipzig in 1813.

Moving into the 19th century, the name Osberg continued to be found in various records and documents. One notable example is Johanna Osberg (1823-1901), a Swedish author and activist who advocated for women's rights and education. Her literary works, which explored themes of gender equality and societal reform, garnered significant attention during her lifetime.

In the early 20th century, the Osberg surname gained international recognition with the accomplishments of Axel Osberg (1887-1972), a Swedish-American engineer and inventor. He is best known for developing the first successful electric refrigerator, which revolutionized food preservation and paved the way for modern refrigeration technology.

Throughout its history, the surname Osberg has been associated with various professions, from academics and religious leaders to military personnel and entrepreneurs. Its roots can be traced back to medieval Sweden, where it originated as a descriptive name reflecting the geographical features of the area where the first bearers of the name resided.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osberg

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

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

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

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