Explore the Family Name Oak

The meaning of Oak

1. English: topographic name for someone who lived near an oak tree or in an oak wood, from Middle English ok(e) ‘oak tree’. 2. Indian (Maharashtra): Brahmin name of unexplained etymology. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Suresh, Anjali, Milind, Nutan, Pooja, Raj, Raji, Shaila, Shilpa, Shrikant, Sudhir, Uday.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Oak in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname 'Oak' has seen a rise in popularity over the years. In 2000, the ranking was at 25,006 while it moved up to 23,019 by 2010, marking an impressive growth of 7.95%. In terms of count, there were 932 people with the surname 'Oak' in 2000 which increased to 1,110 by 2010, reflecting a significant increase of 19.1%. Likewise, the proportion per 100k also grew from 0.35 in 2000 to 0.38 in 2010, showing an 8.57% change.

20002010Change
Rank#25,006#23,0197.95%
Count9321,11019.1%
Proportion per 100k0.350.388.57%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Oak

On the ethnicity front, changes are also noticeable between 2000 and 2010 based on the Decennial U.S. Census data. The Asian/Pacific Islander representation under the 'Oak' surname grew from 21.46% to 25.50%, marking an increase of 18.83%. Those identifying as two or more races under this surname also saw substantial growth from 1.61% to 2.43%, representing a 50.93% change. However, the count of white individuals with this surname decreased from 73.50% to 67.66%, resulting in a drop of 7.95%. There was an increase in people of Hispanic ethnicity bearing the 'Oak' surname, from 2.25% to 3.06%, indicating a 36.00% change. Meanwhile, the number of Black individuals increased from 0.64% to 0.90%, marking a 40.62% change, but those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native dropped from 0.54% to 0.45%, a decrease of 16.67%.

20002010Change
White73.5%67.66%-7.95%
Asian/Pacific Islander21.46%25.5%18.83%
Hispanic2.25%3.06%36%
Two or More Races1.61%2.43%50.93%
Black0.64%0.9%40.62%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.54%0.45%-16.67%