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

Ownbey, 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 Ownbey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ownbey in America

Ownbey is the 21759th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ownbey surname appeared 1,195 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 Ownbey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ownbey 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 Ownbey

The surname Ownbey is believed to have originated in England, likely in the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that has since become obscure or no longer exists.

One theory suggests that the name may be derived from the Old English words "ofen" and "byg", meaning "oven" and "dwelling" respectively. This could indicate that the name originally referred to someone who lived near or worked at an oven, such as a baker or a pottery maker.

Another possibility is that the name is a variant spelling of the place name "Owenby" or "Ownby", which is found in various locations across England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. These place names are believed to be derived from the Old Norse personal name "Auðun" or the Old English name "Āfan", combined with the Old Norse "by" meaning "farmstead" or "village".

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Ownbey date back to the 16th century. One notable example is John Ownbey, born around 1550 in Yorkshire, who was mentioned in local parish records. Another early bearer of the name was William Ownbey, who was born in Lincolnshire in 1587.

In the 17th century, the surname Ownbey can be found in various parts of England, including London and the counties of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire. One prominent figure from this period was Robert Ownbey (1632-1698), a merchant and landowner from Warwickshire.

As the centuries progressed, the Ownbey family spread across different regions of England and some members even emigrated to other parts of the world, including the American colonies. Notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Thomas Ownbey (1744-1823), an early settler in Tennessee, USA, who served in the American Revolutionary War.
2. Mary Ownbey (1790-1865), an American pioneer and midwife, known for her work in the Appalachian region.
3. John Ownbey (1817-1899), a British architect and civil engineer, responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.
4. William Ownbey (1887-1964), an American botanist and professor at the University of Minnesota.
5. Emily Ownbey (1901-1978), an American author and historian, known for her research on Appalachian culture and folklore.

While the exact origins of the surname Ownbey remain somewhat uncertain, its history can be traced back to medieval England, with various theories suggesting connections to place names, occupations, and personal names from that era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ownbey

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

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

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

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