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

Ours, 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 Ours surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ours in America

Ours is the 17699th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ours surname appeared 1,585 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 Ours.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ours 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 Ours

The surname "Ours" is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period, though its precise origins are somewhat obscure. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "ors," which means "bear," potentially suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who had some association with these animals, such as a hunter or a descendant of someone with a bear-related occupation or nickname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Père de Chartres, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 12th century. This document mentions a certain "Guillelmus Ours" who lived in the region of Chartres, France.

In the 13th century, there is a record of a "Jehan Ours" who was a member of the clergy in the city of Rouen, suggesting that the name had spread to different parts of France by this time.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various legal and administrative documents across northern France, including the Cartulaire de Reims, which mentions a "Gilles Ours" who was a landowner in the region.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Jean Ours, a French poet and scholar who lived in the 15th century (1435-1498). He was known for his writings on philosophy and literature and was associated with the court of King Louis XI.

In the 16th century, the name was found in the records of the Parlement of Paris, with a mention of a "Nicolas Ours" who was involved in a legal dispute over property rights.

Another notable figure with this surname was Matthieu Ours, a French engineer and architect who lived in the 17th century (1610-1675). He was responsible for the design and construction of several prominent buildings in Paris, including the Palais du Louvre and the Church of Saint-Sulpice.

During the 18th century, the name appeared in various military records, including those of the French Army. One such individual was Pierre Ours, an officer who served in the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).

In the 19th century, the name was found in various genealogical records and local histories across France. One example is Jacques Ours, a French historian and writer who published works on the history of Normandy in the mid-1800s (1810-1878).

It is worth noting that while the surname "Ours" is primarily associated with France, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, potentially indicating migration patterns or variations in spelling over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ours

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

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

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

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