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

Otterman, 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 Otterman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Otterman in America

Otterman is the 73911th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Otterman surname appeared 262 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 Otterman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Otterman 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 Otterman

The surname Otterman has its origins in Germany, where it first appeared in the late 15th century. The name is believed to be derived from the German word "Otter," referring to the semi-aquatic mammal, and "mann," meaning "man." This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive surname, likely given to someone who lived near a river or lake where otters were found, or perhaps to someone who hunted or trapped otters for their fur.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Otterman can be found in various German parish records and town registers from the late 1400s and early 1500s. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Hans Otterman, born in the village of Münster in 1492. Another early record is of a Wilhelm Otterman, who was mentioned in a land deed from the town of Augsburg, dated 1521.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Otterman name began to spread throughout various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. During this time, variations of the spelling emerged, such as Ottermann, Ottermenn, and Ottermans. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

One notable figure bearing the Otterman name was Johann Gottfried Otterman, a German composer and organist who lived from 1671 to 1742. He was renowned for his contributions to church music and served as the Kapellmeister (chapel master) at the court of the Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels.

Another historical figure was Friedrich Otterman, a German scholar and linguist born in 1801 in the city of Leipzig. He authored several influential works on the study of ancient languages, including a widely-used textbook on Latin grammar.

In the 19th century, the Otterman name began to spread beyond Germany's borders as some families emigrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to North America. One early immigrant to America was Carl Otterman, who arrived in New York City from Hamburg, Germany, in 1852.

Another noteworthy individual was Wilhelm Otterman, a German-American artist and painter born in 1859. He was known for his landscapes and portraits, and his works were exhibited in several prestigious galleries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the Otterman surname is relatively uncommon today, it maintains a rich history that can be traced back to its German origins centuries ago. The name has been borne by scholars, artists, and many others throughout the years, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those who carried this distinctive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Otterman

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

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

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

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