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

Oya, 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 Oya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oya in America

Oya is the 88020th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oya surname appeared 211 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 Oya.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oya 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 Oya

The surname Oya originates from Japan, where it can be traced back to the 8th century AD during the Nara period. The name is derived from the Japanese word "oya," which means "parent" or "ancestor," suggesting that the surname may have initially been given to individuals who were considered elders or patriarchs within their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oya can be found in the Shoku Nihongi, an imperial chronicle that documented events from 697 to 791 AD. In this text, there is a mention of an individual named Oya no Imoko, who served as a court official during the reign of Emperor Shomu.

During the Heian period (794-1185 AD), the Oya surname gained prominence and was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Oya no Masafusa (1012-1094), a renowned poet and scholar who served as a tutor to the Imperial Prince and later became a Buddhist monk.

In the Kamakura period (1185-1333 AD), the Oya family established themselves as influential landowners and military leaders. Oya no Yoshimoto (1236-1305) was a skilled samurai who fought alongside the famous shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo during the Genpei War.

Moving forward to the Edo period (1603-1868), the Oya surname continued to be associated with notable individuals. Oya no Katsusuke (1670-1734) was a renowned artist and calligrapher who left a lasting legacy through his exquisite works of art.

Another noteworthy individual bearing the Oya surname was Oya no Tamezo (1785-1854), a successful merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and temples in his hometown.

Throughout history, the Oya surname has also been associated with various place names and locations within Japan. For instance, the Oya District in Tochigi Prefecture and the Oya Village in Gunma Prefecture both derive their names from the Oya family's historical presence in these areas.

While the surname Oya may have originated in Japan, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply rooted in Japanese culture and tradition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oya

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

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

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

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