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

Osterholt, 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 Osterholt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Osterholt in America

Osterholt is the 65244th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Osterholt surname appeared 304 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 Osterholt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Osterholt 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 Osterholt

The surname Osterholt is of German origin, originating in the 16th century. It is derived from the Low German words "oster" meaning "eastern" and "holt" meaning "forest" or "woods". This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near or in an eastern forest or woodland area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Osterholt can be found in the parish records of the town of Melle, in Lower Saxony, Germany, dating back to the late 1500s. It is believed that the name may have originated in this region or nearby areas.

In the 17th century, the name Osterholt began to appear in various documents and records throughout northern Germany, particularly in the regions of Lower Saxony and Westphalia. Some notable individuals bearing this surname during this time period include Johann Osterholt, a merchant from Osnabrück (1612-1678), and Christoph Osterholt, a farmer from Minden (1637-1701).

As the centuries progressed, the Osterholt family spread across various parts of Germany, with some members migrating to other European countries and even North America. In the late 18th century, a branch of the Osterholt family settled in the Netherlands, where the name was sometimes spelled as "Oosterholt".

One of the most notable historical figures with the surname Osterholt was Friedrich Osterholt (1809-1882), a German politician and member of the Prussian House of Representatives. Another notable individual was the artist and painter Carl Osterholt (1822-1887), who was known for his landscape paintings of the Harz Mountains region.

Other individuals of note include the German writer and journalist Wilhelm Osterholt (1865-1941), the Dutch architect and urban planner Cornelis Osterholt (1887-1954), and the German-American engineer and inventor Gustav Osterholt (1901-1978), who was involved in the development of early television technology.

The surname Osterholt has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, from merchants and farmers to politicians, artists, and inventors. While the name may have originated in a specific region of Germany, it has since been dispersed across different parts of the world, reflecting the migratory patterns and diverse experiences of those who bear this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Osterholt

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

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

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

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