Explore the Family Name Hosea
The meaning of Hosea
1. English: variant of Hussey. Similarity with the Old Testament prophet’s name Hosea (see 3 below) is accidental. 2. English: in Scotland, where the name is more common, it is sometimes a variant of Hosie, itself a form of Hussey, or else a variant of Hossack. 3. African (mainly Nigeria and Tanzania): from the Biblical personal name Hosea. In the Old Testament, Hosea was a prophet who married a prostitute in order to illustrate Israel’s unfaithfulness to God.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hosea in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Hosea has increased slightly between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 15,252nd most popular surname, but rose to the 14,783rd position by 2010, marking a 3.08% increase in rank. The count of people with this surname also increased from 1,770 in 2000 to 2,008 in 2010, a rise of 13.45%. The proportion per 100,000 people saw a minor increase as well, from 0.66 to 0.68.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,252 | #14,783 | 3.08% |
| Count | 1,770 | 2,008 | 13.45% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.66 | 0.68 | 3.03% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hosea
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Hosea showed some changes between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In both years, the majority of people with the surname identified as White, maintaining a consistent percentage at around 57.47%. Those identifying as Black were the second largest group, with a slight increase from 31.19% to 31.27%. There was a notable increase in those identifying as Hispanic, from 3.79% to 4.88%. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also rose slightly from 4.18% to 4.48%. However, there was a significant decrease in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, from 0.90% to 0.25%, and those who identified with two or more races decreased from 2.49% to 1.64%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 57.46% | 57.47% | 0.02% |
| Black | 31.19% | 31.27% | 0.26% |
| Hispanic | 3.79% | 4.88% | 28.76% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.18% | 4.48% | 7.18% |
| Two or More Races | 2.49% | 1.64% | -34.14% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.9% | 0.25% | -72.22% |