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

Ostrum, 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 Ostrum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ostrum in America

Ostrum is the 43584th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ostrum surname appeared 495 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 Ostrum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ostrum 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 Ostrum

The surname Ostrum has its origins in Northern Europe, specifically in the Nordic countries of Scandinavia. It is believed to have emerged during the Viking Age, between the 8th and 11th centuries AD. The name is derived from the Old Norse word "austr," which means "east" or "eastern," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have hailed from eastern regions or settlements.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ostrum can be found in the Icelandic sagas, which are a collection of historical and literary works that date back to the 13th and 14th centuries. These sagas often mention individuals with the surname Ostrum, indicating that the name was well-established in the region during that time.

In the 15th century, a man named Björn Ostrum (c. 1420-1487) was a prominent figure in the Faroe Islands, where he served as a lawspeaker and played a significant role in the islands' governance. This early record provides evidence of the name's presence in the North Atlantic region.

As the name spread throughout Scandinavia and beyond, various spelling variations emerged, including Ostrom, Östrum, and Austrum. These variations often reflected local dialects and language adaptations.

In the 17th century, a Swedish military officer named Carl Ostrum (1616-1684) gained recognition for his service in the Thirty Years' War and later became a colonel in the Swedish army. His legacy serves as an example of the name's presence in Sweden during this era.

Another notable figure was the Danish historian and theologian Hans Ostrum (1701-1772), who made significant contributions to the study of church history and authored several influential works on the subject.

During the 19th century, the name Ostrum appeared in various parts of Europe, including Norway, where a man named Jens Ostrum (1823-1892) became a prominent businessman and landowner in the coastal town of Kristiansund.

While the surname Ostrum has its roots in Northern Europe, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. Today, individuals bearing this name can be found in various countries, carrying on the legacy of a surname that dates back to the Viking Age and the rich history of the Nordic regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ostrum

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

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

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

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