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

Otte, 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 Otte surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Otte in America

Otte is the 7572nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Otte surname appeared 4,387 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Otte.

We can also compare 2010 data for Otte 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 Otte

The surname "OTTE" is believed to have originated in Germany and the Netherlands during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old German personal name "Otto" or "Oto," which means "wealthy" or "prosperous." The name likely evolved from a nickname or diminutive form, such as "Otte" or "Otteken."

In the Middle Ages, the name was commonly found in various regions of modern-day Germany and the Low Countries. Early records indicate that the name appeared in various spellings, including "Otte," "Otten," "Ottens," and "Ottes." These variations reflect regional dialects and linguistic differences in the areas where the name was prevalent.

One of the earliest documented references to the name "OTTE" can be found in the records of the Hanseatic League, a powerful medieval trading network that dominated commerce in Northern Europe. Several merchants and traders bearing the name "OTTE" were involved in the league's activities during the 13th and 14th centuries.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Otte van Nijmegen was a prominent military leader and diplomat in the service of the Duchy of Guelders in the Low Countries. He played a significant role in the conflicts between the Duchy and its neighboring territories.

During the 15th century, a Dutch nobleman named Otte van Bronckhorst held several influential positions in the court of the Dukes of Burgundy. He was highly regarded for his diplomatic skills and served as an ambassador to various European courts.

In the 16th century, a German scholar and humanist named Johann Otte is mentioned in historical records for his contributions to the advancement of education and classical studies. He was born in 1528 and served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg.

Another notable figure with the surname "OTTE" was Johann Peter Otte, a German composer and organist who lived from 1673 to 1743. He was renowned for his compositions for the organ and for his contributions to sacred music in the Baroque era.

While the surname "OTTE" has its roots in Germany and the Netherlands, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and the world due to migration and the dispersion of families over the centuries. However, the name remains most prevalent in its regions of origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Otte

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

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

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

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