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

Osmeña, 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 Osmeña surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osmeña in America

Osmeña is the 142108th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osmeña surname appeared 117 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 Osmeña.

The history of the last name Osmeña

The surname OSMENA originates from the Philippines, specifically from the Visayan region of the central islands. It is believed to have derived from the Cebuano word "usmu-na," meaning "first" or "foremost." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was a leader or a pioneer in their community.

The earliest recorded instance of the OSMENA surname can be traced back to the 16th century, during the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. It is possible that the name was initially recorded by Spanish friars or officials who encountered individuals bearing this surname among the indigenous population.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the OSMENA surname was Juan Osmena, who lived in the late 18th century and was a prominent landowner and community leader in the town of Cebu. His descendants continued to play influential roles in the region throughout the 19th century.

In the early 20th century, the OSMENA family gained national prominence with the rise of Sergio Osmena Sr. (1878-1961), who served as the fourth President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was a prominent figure in the Philippine independence movement and played a crucial role in the country's transition to self-governance.

Another notable individual with the OSMENA surname was Sergio Osmena Jr. (1916-1984), who followed in his father's footsteps and served as a Senator and Vice President of the Philippines from 1961 to 1965.

The OSMENA name has also been associated with other prominent figures in Philippine history, including Mariano Jesús Cuenco y Osmena (1888-1964), who served as a Senator and Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Tomás Osmena (1910-1993), a lawyer and politician who served as a Senator and Secretary of Justice.

While the OSMENA surname has its roots in the Visayan region, it has since spread throughout the Philippines and can be found among various ethnic groups within the country, reflecting the nation's rich cultural diversity and historical intermingling of people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osmeña

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

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 Osmeña 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.

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

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

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