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

Osburn, 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 Osburn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osburn in America

Osburn is the 4699th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osburn surname appeared 7,549 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Osburn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Osburn 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 Osburn

The surname Osburn is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "os" meaning "ox" and "burn" meaning "stream" or "small river". It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to a place where oxen were watered or crossed a stream. The earliest known recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century.

The name first appeared in historical records in Oxfordshire, England, where it was spelled as "Oxenburn" or "Oxburne". In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of land tenure in England, there is a mention of Robert de Oxenburne holding lands in Oxfordshire.

Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, including Oxburn, Oxbourne, Oxbarn, and eventually Osburn. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during those times.

One notable historical figure with the surname Osburn was Sir John Osburn, a prominent English politician and landowner who lived from 1585 to 1665. He served as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire and was knighted by King Charles I in 1628.

Another individual of note was William Osburn, born in 1687 in Oxfordshire. He was a renowned clockmaker and is credited with developing innovative techniques in clock-making during the early 18th century.

In the late 16th century, the Osburn family established themselves in the county of Gloucestershire, where they owned substantial landholdings. Thomas Osburn, born in 1542, was a prominent landowner and served as a justice of the peace in Gloucestershire.

The Osburn name also appears in historical records in other parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Lancashire, suggesting that families with this surname may have migrated from their original homelands to other regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Osburn name in the Americas was in 1635, when Edward Osburn, born in 1610 in Oxfordshire, arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony as part of the Great Migration from England.

Throughout history, the Osburn surname has been associated with various occupations, including farming, clockmaking, and public service. The name has endured over the centuries, and its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the rural landscapes of medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osburn

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

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

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

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