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

Osterberger, 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 Osterberger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osterberger in America

Osterberger is the 87663rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osterberger surname appeared 212 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 Osterberger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Osterberger 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 Osterberger

The surname Osterberger has its origins in Germany, specifically in the southern regions of Bavaria and Austria. It is a locational name, derived from the German words "Oster" meaning "eastern" and "Berg" meaning "mountain" or "hill." This suggests that the name originated from individuals who resided near or came from an eastern mountain or hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Osterberger can be traced back to the 16th century in various German-speaking regions. One notable mention is found in the records of the city of Regensburg, where an individual named Hans Osterberger is listed as a merchant in the year 1532.

In the 17th century, the name Osterberger appears in several historical documents from the region of Salzburg, Austria. One such example is the birth record of Johann Osterberger, born in 1642 in the village of Oberndorf. This region was known for its rich salt mining industry, and it is possible that some early bearers of the name were involved in this trade.

Moving into the 18th century, the Osterberger name gained further prominence. In 1712, a man named Georg Osterberger was appointed as the mayor of the town of Murnau in Bavaria. This position of authority suggests that the Osterberger family had attained a level of respect and standing within their community.

Throughout the 19th century, several notable individuals with the surname Osterberger emerged. One such figure was the German painter and lithographer, Friedrich Osterberger (1808-1877). His works depicting landscapes and architectural scenes are highly regarded and can be found in various museums across Europe.

Another prominent individual with this surname was the Austrian chemist and industrialist, Carl Osterberger (1849-1923). He played a significant role in the development of the chemical industry in Austria and was widely recognized for his contributions to the field.

In the 20th century, the name Osterberger continued to be represented across various fields. One noteworthy individual was the German-American engineer and inventor, Hans Osterberger (1902-1986). He held numerous patents and was particularly known for his work in the field of automotive engineering.

It is worth noting that variations in the spelling of the surname Osterberger have existed throughout its history. Some alternative spellings include Osterbergher, Osterberger, and Osterbürger, among others. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and scribal errors in historical records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osterberger

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

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

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

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