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

Ostby, 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 Ostby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ostby in America

Ostby is the 26025th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ostby surname appeared 942 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 Ostby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ostby 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 Ostby

The surname Ostby originates from Norway, where it was first recorded in the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse words "Aust" meaning "east" and "by" meaning "village" or "farm", suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name lived in an eastern village or settlement.

One of the earliest known references to the name Ostby can be found in Norwegian church records from the late 1500s, where it appears as "Østbye". This spelling variation indicates the name's evolution over time, reflecting local dialects and pronunciation changes.

The Ostby name has strong ties to the Østfold region of southeastern Norway, particularly in the areas around the towns of Halden and Sarpsborg. Historical records show that several prominent individuals bore this surname, including Hans Ostby (1583-1647), a respected landowner and farmer in the Halden area.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Ostby name began to spread beyond its traditional stronghold in Østfold. One notable figure was Jens Ostby (1691-1771), a merchant and ship owner from Fredrikstad who played a significant role in the local maritime trade.

Another prominent individual was Christen Ostby (1723-1798), a Lutheran minister and author who served as a parish priest in the town of Sarpsborg. His published works, which included sermons and theological treatises, were influential in shaping religious thought in Norway during his lifetime.

As the 19th century dawned, the Ostby surname continued to gain recognition. Maren Ostby (1801-1871), a renowned folk singer and storyteller from Halden, helped preserve and popularize traditional Norwegian ballads and folktales through her performances.

In more recent times, the Ostby name has been carried by individuals such as Olav Ostby (1892-1968), a celebrated painter and illustrator known for his vibrant landscapes and depictions of Norwegian rural life, and Bjarne Ostby (1924-2011), a highly respected Norwegian diplomat and ambassador to several countries, including the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ostby

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

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

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

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