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

Osceola, 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 Osceola surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osceola in America

Osceola is the 49087th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osceola surname appeared 429 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 Osceola.

We can also compare 2010 data for Osceola 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 Osceola

The surname Osceola is of Native American origin, specifically from the Seminole tribe of Florida. It dates back to the early 19th century and is derived from the name of a prominent Seminole leader and warrior, Osceola, who lived from 1804 to 1838.

Osceola was a nickname meaning "Black Drink Cry" or "Drunk with Rage," given to him for his fiery temperament and opposition to the forced relocation of his people during the Seminole Wars. He was a skilled tactician and leader who played a crucial role in the Second Seminole War, leading the Seminole resistance against the United States Army.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Osceola can be traced back to the mid-19th century, shortly after the death of the famous Seminole leader. It is believed that some of his descendants and followers adopted the name as a tribute to his legacy and as a symbol of pride in their Native American heritage.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Osceola was John Osceola, a Seminole leader who was born in the 1820s and fought alongside Osceola during the Second Seminole War. Another notable figure was Billy Osceola, a Seminole interpreter and guide who was born around 1845 and played a significant role in facilitating communication between his tribe and the United States government.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the surname Osceola became more widespread as Seminole families continued to embrace it as a way to honor their ancestry and cultural identity. Some notable individuals with this surname include James Osceola, a Seminole leader and activist born in the late 1800s who advocated for the rights of his people, and Betty Mae Jumper Osceola, a Seminole author and educator born in 1923 who worked tirelessly to preserve and promote the Seminole language and traditions.

Throughout history, the surname Osceola has been closely associated with the Seminole tribe and their struggles for survival and self-determination. It serves as a reminder of the resilience and enduring spirit of the Native American people, as well as the lasting impact of one of their most celebrated leaders, Osceola.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osceola

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!