2000
#18,129
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,417
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.53
Rare Last name
Oscar
A surname from Irish Gaelic meaning "deer lover" or "hunter of deer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,150 Americans carry the last name Oscar. That puts it at #15,103 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 159,421 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Oscar surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Oscar with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 159,421
Census rank
#15,103
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,875 bearers of the surname Oscar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15103rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Oscar, the largest self-reported group is Black at 47.2%. The next largest groups are White (26.8%) and Hispanic (16.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Oscar
The surname Oscar has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the early medieval period around the 6th century. It is derived from the Germanic name Oskar, which is composed of the elements "os" meaning "god" and "car" meaning "army" or "warrior." The name was likely introduced to the Iberian Peninsula during the Visigothic rule in the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oscar appears in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript that details the legends and miracles associated with the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route. In this text, a nobleman named Oscar is mentioned as a supporter of the Camino de Santiago.
In the 13th century, the name Oscar was found in various historical records from the Kingdom of Aragon, including the Census of Aragon conducted in 1285. Notable individuals bearing this surname during this period include Oscar de Montblanc (1220-1289), a prominent knight who participated in the Reconquista against the Moors.
As the name spread throughout Spain, it also took on different spellings and variations, such as Oscariz and Oscariz-Martín. These variants were often associated with specific regions or localities, reflecting the influence of local dialects and naming traditions.
One of the most renowned figures with the surname Oscar was Mariano Oscar de Novoa (1790-1857), a Spanish military officer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 1853 to 1854. His contributions during the Carlist Wars and his advocacy for liberal reforms left a lasting impact on Spanish history.
Another noteworthy individual was Emilio Oscar Mendoza (1844-1912), a renowned Spanish artist and painter who was celebrated for his depictions of historical and religious scenes. His works adorned numerous churches and public buildings across Spain, showcasing his mastery of the Romantic and Realist styles.
In the literary realm, Sebastián Oscar Córdova (1865-1932) was a prominent Spanish poet and novelist known for his evocative descriptions of rural life and the natural world. His poetry collections, such as "Cantos de la Tierra" (Songs of the Earth), earned him widespread acclaim and a place among the most celebrated writers of his time.
The surname Oscar also found its way into the realm of music with figures like Javier Oscar García (1910-1989), a renowned Spanish composer and conductor who made significant contributions to the development of contemporary Spanish classical music. His compositions, including symphonies and concertos, were performed by leading orchestras worldwide.
While the surname Oscar has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. Despite its widespread distribution, the name remains a proud testament to its rich Spanish heritage and the remarkable individuals who have carried it throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Oscar
Among Census respondents with the surname Oscar, the largest self-reported group is Black at 47.2%. The next largest groups are White (26.8%) and Hispanic (16.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Oscar bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Oscar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American47.2% · 885
- White26.8% · 503
- Hispanic or Latino16.5% · 309
- American Indian and Alaska Native5.0% · 93
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.3% · 44
- Two or more races2.2% · 41
Timeline
Historical Census data for Oscar
Oscar appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#16,214
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,781
+364 bearers (+25.7%)
Per 100,000 0.60
Rank movement Up 1,915 places
2020
#15,103
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,875
+94 bearers (+5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Up 1,111 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,129 | 1,417 | 0.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #16,214 | 1,781 | 0.60 | +364 bearers (+25.7%) | Up 1,915 places |
| 2020 | #15,103 | 1,875 | 0.63 | +94 bearers (+5.3%) | Up 1,111 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Oscar surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,214 | #15,103 | 6.9% |
| Count | 1,781 | 1,875 | 5.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.60 | 0.63 | 4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Oscar bearers went from 1,781 to 1,875 (+5.3% change). The surname moved up 1,111 positions in the national ranking, going from #16,214 to #15,103.
FAQ
Oscar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Oscar?
Name Census estimates that about 2,150 living Americans carry the surname Oscar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 159,421 residents.
How common is Oscar?
Oscar ranks #15,103 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,875 people with the surname Oscar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,150), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.63 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Oscar.
Has Oscar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Oscar went from 1,781 recorded bearers to 1,875. That is an increase of 94 (+5.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #16,214 to #15,103.
What does the Census say about the background of Oscar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Oscar, the largest self-reported group is Black at 47.2%. The next largest groups are White (26.8%) and Hispanic (16.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Oscar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 47.2% (885 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Oscar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (47.2%), White (26.8%), Hispanic (16.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Oscar (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Oscar mean?
A surname from Irish Gaelic meaning "deer lover" or "hunter of deer". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Oscar (0.63 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Oscar?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.