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

Osborne, 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 Osborne surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osborne in America

Osborne is the 502nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osborne surname appeared 66,827 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 23 people would have the surname Osborne.

We can also compare 2010 data for Osborne 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 Osborne

The surname Osborne is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "or" meaning "bank" or "shore" and "burne" meaning "stream" or "brook". It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a stream bank.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Osborne can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Osebern" and "Osbern". This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the medieval period, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Osbern, Osborn, Osbourne, and Osburn. These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation common at the time.

The Osborne family was particularly prominent in Derbyshire, where they held lands and estates. One notable figure was Sir Hewett Osborne (c. 1470-1555), who served as a member of Parliament and was a devoted supporter of King Henry VIII during the English Reformation.

In the 17th century, Sir Peter Osborne (1584-1653) was a significant figure in the English Civil War, serving as a Royalist commander and later as Lord Treasurer under King Charles II. His grandson, Sir Thomas Osborne (1631-1712), became the 1st Duke of Leeds and held various positions in the government, including Lord President of the Council.

During the 18th century, the Osborne family continued to play a prominent role in British society. Francis Osborne (1593-1659) was a notable English essayist and philosopher, while Thomas Osborne (1705-1768) was a successful merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several churches and schools in London.

In the 19th century, one of the most famous bearers of the Osborne name was Ralph Bernal Osborne (1808-1882), a British politician and writer who served as a Member of Parliament and authored several works on history and literature.

Another notable figure from this period was Bernal Osborne (1792-1863), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars and later served as a Member of Parliament.

As the name spread across the English-speaking world, it continued to be associated with individuals of prominence and achievement in various fields, from politics and military service to literature and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osborne

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

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

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

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