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

Ou, 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 Ou surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ou in America

Ou is the 7891st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ou surname appeared 4,196 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 Ou.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ou 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 Ou

The surname "Ou" is believed to have originated from the Chinese language and can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) in China. It is derived from the Chinese character "橊," which means "elm tree" or "elm wood." During the Tang Dynasty, many Chinese surnames were derived from nature-related words, reflecting the importance of agriculture and the natural world in ancient Chinese society.

One of the earliest known records of the surname "Ou" can be found in the "Yuanshi Xingzuan" (元史姓纂), a genealogical record compiled during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD). This document mentions several prominent individuals with the surname "Ou," including Ou Yangxiu (1007-1072 AD), a renowned scholar and statesman who served as the Chancellor during the Song Dynasty.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), there was a notable scholar and philosopher named Ou Yangde (1559-1628 AD), who was a prominent figure in the Neo-Confucian movement. His writings and teachings had a significant influence on the intellectual landscape of his time.

Another historically significant individual with the surname "Ou" was Ou Renzhong (1914-1952 AD), a communist revolutionary and military leader who played a pivotal role in the Chinese Civil War and the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

The surname "Ou" can also be found in various place names across China, such as Ouxian County in Hubei Province and Oucun Village in Zhejiang Province. These place names may have derived from the presence of elm trees or related to individuals with the surname "Ou" who settled in those areas.

In addition to China, the surname "Ou" has also been recorded in other parts of East Asia, such as Vietnam and Korea, likely due to migration and cultural exchanges throughout history. However, the majority of individuals bearing this surname can be traced back to Chinese ancestry.

It is worth noting that the surname "Ou" should not be confused with the French surname "Oui," which has a different origin and meaning. While the two surnames may share a similar spelling, their etymological roots and historical backgrounds are distinct.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ou

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

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

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

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