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

Overman, 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 Overman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Overman in America

Overman is the 6326th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Overman surname appeared 5,396 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Overman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Overman 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 Overman

The surname Overman originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "ofer" meaning "over" and "mann" meaning "man". This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in or came from a higher or more elevated place.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Overman can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Richard Overman is mentioned. The surname is also found in various tax records and legal documents from the 13th and 14th centuries across different counties in England.

In the late 13th century, a John Overman is recorded as being a landowner in the village of Overton, Cheshire. Overton is a place name derived from the Old English words "ofer" and "tun", meaning "over town", which may have influenced the spelling and usage of the surname Overman in this area.

During the 16th century, the surname Overman was also found in the Netherlands and parts of Germany, possibly due to migration or variations in spelling. One notable figure with this name was Jacobus Overman, a Dutch artist born in 1634 who specialized in still-life paintings.

In the 17th century, William Overman (1642-1719) was an English clergyman and author who published several theological works. Another notable bearer of the name was John Overman (1763-1838), an American frontiersman and early settler in Tennessee.

In the 19th century, Charles Overman (1835-1898) was a British engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to agricultural machinery. Meanwhile, in the United States, Andrew Overman (1819-1885) was a prominent businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Salisbury, North Carolina.

Throughout its history, the surname Overman has been associated with various professions and occupations, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this name. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, carrying with it a rich tapestry of stories and legacies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Overman

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

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

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

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