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

Otten, 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 Otten surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Otten in America

Otten is the 7561st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Otten surname appeared 4,396 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 Otten.

We can also compare 2010 data for Otten 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 Otten

The surname Otten has its origins in the Low German language, stemming from the northern regions of Germany and the Netherlands. It is believed to have derived from the Low German word "ot" or "otte," which was a diminutive form of the personal name "Otto." This name itself traces back to the Old High German name "Oudo," meaning "prosperous" or "wealthy."

The earliest known records of the Otten surname date back to the 13th century in the areas of Westphalia and Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany. It is thought that the name may have initially referred to someone who was a descendant or a follower of an individual named Otto, much like many other surnames that originated from personal names.

In the late 13th century, the name Otten appeared in the Werdener Lehnregister, an important historical document that recorded feudal landholdings in the region around the town of Werden, which is now part of the city of Essen. This suggests that the Otten family may have held land or property in this area during that time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Otten surname was Johannes Otten, who lived in the German city of Lübeck in the late 14th century. He was a prominent merchant and member of the city council, indicating that the Otten family had achieved a certain level of status and influence in the region.

In the 16th century, the Otten name appeared in various Dutch records, suggesting that the surname had spread to the Netherlands. One notable figure was Adriaen Otten, a Dutch painter born in Utrecht in 1518. He was known for his detailed still-life paintings and religious works.

Another significant individual was Johann Baptist Otten, a German Roman Catholic priest and theologian who lived from 1673 to 1743. He was a renowned scholar and author, publishing several influential works on theology and philosophy during his lifetime.

In the 19th century, the Otten name gained prominence in the field of education. Johann Adam Otten (1798-1876) was a German educator and author who played a crucial role in the development of the Prussian education system and advocated for the inclusion of physical education in schools.

Throughout history, the Otten surname has been associated with various professions and backgrounds, from merchants and artists to scholars and educators. While its origins can be traced back to northern Germany and the Low German language, the name has since spread across Europe and beyond, reflecting the migrations and histories of those who bore it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Otten

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

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

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

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