Owle last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Owle

A surname derived from the Old English word "ule" meaning owl or bird of prey.

Owle, 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 Owle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Owle in America

Owle is the 82908th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Owle surname appeared 227 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 Owle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Owle 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 82908 88083 -6.05%
Count 227 196 14.66%
Proportion per 100k 0.08 0.07 13.33%

The history of the last name Owle

The surname OWLE has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "ufle," meaning "owl." This suggests that the name may have been originally given as a nickname to someone who resembled or had habits similar to an owl.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191, where a person named Richard Owle is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were financial records kept by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insights into the names and occupations of people living during that time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Oule," "Oul," and "Owel," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in those times. One notable example is found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, where a person named John Oule is recorded.

The Hundred Rolls were administrative records kept by the English government, containing information about landowners, their holdings, and their tenants. These records provide historical context and insight into the distribution of surnames across different regions.

During the 14th century, the surname OWLE continued to be documented in various sources. In the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, a person named William Owle is listed as a taxpayer. The Subsidy Rolls were records of taxes collected by the English government, offering valuable information about the economic status and occupations of individuals during that period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname OWLE was Sir Thomas Owle, a prominent figure who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He served as the Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 1399 and was knighted by King Henry IV in 1413.

Another notable individual with the surname OWLE was John Owle, born around 1470 in Oxfordshire. He was a wealthy landowner and businessman who became a prominent figure in the city of Oxford. Records show that he served as the Mayor of Oxford in 1516 and played a significant role in the local community.

In the 16th century, the surname OWLE appeared in various forms, such as "Oule," "Oul," and "Owell." One example can be found in the Parish Registers of Sturminster Newton in Dorset, where a person named Thomas Oul was recorded in 1578.

The surname OWLE has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its origins rooted in the Old English language and likely derived from a nickname related to the owl. The name has been documented in various historical records, providing insights into the lives and occupations of individuals who bore this surname throughout the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Owle

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

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 Owle was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 24.23% 55
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 64.76% 147
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 7.93% 18
Hispanic Origin 3.08% 7

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 Owle has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 24.23% 24.49% -1.07%
Black 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 64.76% 71.94% -10.50%
Two or More Races 7.93% 3.06% 88.63%
Hispanic 3.08% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Owle last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 10, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/owle-surname-popularity/.

"Owle last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/owle-surname-popularity/. Accessed 10 October, 2024

Owle last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/owle-surname-popularity/.

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