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

Osofsky, 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 Osofsky surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osofsky in America

Osofsky is the 64559th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osofsky surname appeared 308 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 Osofsky.

We can also compare 2010 data for Osofsky 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 Osofsky

The surname Osofsky originates from Eastern Europe, particularly from regions that are now part of modern-day Ukraine and Belarus. It is believed to have emerged in the late 18th or early 19th century, derived from the Yiddish or Russian word "osof," which means "collector" or "gatherer."

The earliest known record of the name Osofsky can be traced back to the town of Zhytomyr, located in northern Ukraine, where a Jewish family bearing this surname was documented in the late 1700s. It is possible that the name may have been adopted by individuals whose occupation involved collecting or gathering goods, materials, or taxes.

In the early 19th century, the Osofsky surname appeared in various records and manuscripts throughout the Russian Empire, particularly in areas with significant Jewish populations. One notable mention is found in the memoirs of a Russian nobleman, where he recounted his interactions with a merchant named Yakov Osofsky in the city of Odesa around 1820.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Osofsky was Shmuel Osofsky, born in the town of Berdychiv (now in Ukraine) in 1791. He was a prominent scholar and Rabbi who authored several works on Jewish law and philosophy.

Another notable figure was Lev Osofsky (1837-1917), a Russian-born painter and art teacher who spent most of his career in St. Petersburg, where he gained recognition for his landscapes and portraits.

In the late 19th century, Esther Osofsky (1862-1942) became known as one of the first female physicians in the Russian Empire, practicing in the city of Kharkiv (now in Ukraine) and advocating for women's rights and education.

As the Osofsky family spread across Eastern Europe, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged, such as Osofski, Osofski, and Osovski. Some members of the family also adopted the surname Osofskyy or Osofskiy, reflecting the Russian or Ukrainian spelling.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Osofsky was Mikhail Osofsky (1900-1976), a Soviet composer and conductor who contributed significantly to the development of Russian and Ukrainian classical music in the 20th century.

Throughout its history, the Osofsky surname has been associated with various professions, including merchants, scholars, artists, and professionals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osofsky

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

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

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

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