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

Otterness, 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 Otterness surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Otterness in America

Otterness is the 45495th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Otterness surname appeared 470 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 Otterness.

We can also compare 2010 data for Otterness 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 Otterness

The surname Otterness originates from Norway, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "ottr," meaning a point or promontory. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived on a promontory or a piece of land jutting out into a body of water.

Otterness is a locational surname, meaning it was likely taken from a specific place name. While the exact location is uncertain, it is thought to be related to the Norwegian place name "Otterøy," an island located off the coast of Rogaland County. This island's name translates to "Otter Island," possibly indicating a connection between the surname and the presence of otters in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Otterness surname can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents dating back to the 12th century. In this collection, an individual named "Ottar Otterness" is mentioned in a document from the year 1328.

During the Middle Ages, the spelling of the surname varied, with forms such as "Otternæs," "Otternesse," and "Otternaes" appearing in various records. These variations likely reflect the influence of different dialects and regional pronunciations.

Notable individuals with the Otterness surname include:

1. Tor Otterness (1844-1922), a Norwegian-American businessman and politician who served as the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota from 1899 to 1903.

2. Ola Otterness (1879-1955), a Norwegian-American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1919 to 1923.

3. Sigurd Otterness (1902-1980), a Norwegian-American Lutheran minister and author who served as the president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America from 1962 to 1970.

4. Tom Otterness (born 1952), a contemporary American sculptor known for his whimsical and often controversial public art installations.

5. Kari Otterness (born 1965), a Norwegian-American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour in the 1990s and early 2000s.

While the Otterness surname originated in Norway, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration to the United States and other countries. However, its roots can be traced back to the rugged coastal regions of Norway, where it likely first emerged as a locational identifier for those living on or near a promontory or island.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Otterness

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

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

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

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