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

Otway, 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 Otway surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Otway in America

Otway is the 74141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Otway surname appeared 261 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 Otway.

We can also compare 2010 data for Otway 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 Otway

The surname Otway has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval era. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the place name Otway, which was recorded in several regions of England, including Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Suffolk.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Otway can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was likely derived from the Old English words "ot" meaning "from" and "weg" meaning "way" or "path," suggesting a connection to a particular route or pathway.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records and documents, with spellings such as Oteweye, Otewey, and Otteweye. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

One notable bearer of the Otway surname was Sir John Otway (c. 1520-1593), an English diplomat and soldier who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the Anglo-Spanish War and was knighted for his services.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Otway (1652-1685), an English playwright and translator famous for his tragic plays, including "The Orphan" and "Venice Preserved." His works were highly influential in the Restoration era and helped shape the development of English drama.

In the 18th century, Caesar Otway (1670-1719) was a British naval officer and cartographer who participated in several voyages of exploration and produced valuable maps of the West Indies and South America.

Robert Waller Otway (1770-1836), an English poet and clergyman, was known for his poetry collections, including "The Complaint" and "The Gladiator." His works often explored themes of nature and the human experience.

More recently, Sir Graham Otway (1925-2013) was a British diplomat who served as the British Ambassador to West Germany from 1976 to 1982. He played a significant role in fostering diplomatic relations between the two countries during the Cold War era.

Throughout its history, the Otway surname has been associated with various professions, including military service, literature, exploration, and diplomacy, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Otway

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

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

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

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