Explore the Family Name Oh
The meaning of Oh
1. Korean: variant of O 1. 2. Japanese: variant of Ō (see O 2). 3. Chinese: Teochew or Hokkien or Taiwanese form of the surname 胡, see Hu 1. This pronunciation is found in eastern Guangdong province, Fujian province, and Taiwan, from where people migrated to Singapore, Malaysia, and other parts of Southeast Asia. 4. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 鄂, see E. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Young, Sung, Jung, Yong, Chang, Kwang, Sang, Dong, Hyun, Jae, Jin, Kyung, Jong, Chong, Chung, Byung, Jeong, Pyong, Myong, Hak, Jin Hwan, Sook, Yeong, Choon.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Oh in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Oh has grown in popularity over the years. In 2000, it was ranked 2,477th and rose to 1,978th by 2010, showing a significant increase of 20.15 percent. The overall count of individuals with this surname also saw a substantial rise from 13,366 in 2000 to 18,285 in 2010, reflecting an impressive growth rate of 36.8 percent. The proportion per 100,000 people also went up from 4.95 to 6.2, marking a 25.25 percent uptick.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,477 | #1,978 | 20.15% |
| Count | 13,366 | 18,285 | 36.8% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.95 | 6.2 | 25.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Oh
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that most individuals with the surname Oh identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This particular group constituted around 95.48 percent of the total in 2010, a slight decrease from the 95.68 percent reported in 2000. Those identifying as having two or more ethnic identities accounted for 1.78 percent in 2010, slightly down from 1.80 percent in 2000. The percentage of individuals identifying as White marginally dropped from 2.00 in 2000 to 1.99 in 2010. Interestingly, those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase from 0.33 percent to 0.51 percent over the decade. The Black population and American Indian and Alaskan Native populations were previously unrecorded but represented 0.19 percent and 0.05 percent respectively in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 95.68% | 95.48% | -0.21% |
| White | 2% | 1.99% | -0.5% |
| Two or More Races | 1.8% | 1.78% | -1.11% |
| Hispanic | 0.33% | 0.51% | 54.55% |
| Black | 0% | 0.19% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.05% | 0% |
Oh ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Oh is Korean, which comprises 80.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Chinese (7.5%) and British & Irish (3.8%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Japanese, Filipino & Austronesian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Eastern European.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Korean | 80.5% |
| Chinese | 7.5% |
| British & Irish | 3.8% |
| Other | 8.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Oh
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Oh have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in South Korea, and China.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Seoul, South Korea | 83.10% |
| Busan, South Korea | 52.70% |
| Gyeongsangnam Do, South Korea | 39.00% |
| Jeollanam Do, South Korea | 37.80% |
| Jeollabuk Do, South Korea | 35.80% |
What Oh haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Oh is O-CTS713, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup O-CTS713 is descended from haplogroup O-M1359. Other common haplogroups include O-CTS723 and C-CTS2657, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Choi, Kim, Kang, Park, Chung, Hwang, Jung, Han, Pak, Choe.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Oh surname are: B5b, H, D4. These most commonly trace back to individuals of East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins O-M1359
Your paternal lineage may be linked to the Yayoi
Haplogroup O1b2a, a branch of haplogroup O, is closely related to several haplogroups that are commonly found in Japan. Haplogroup O is closely associated with Kyushu, Japan's third largest island, and makes up over half of all men in Japan. Although haplogroup O is prevalent in Japan, it likely only entered Japan during the Yayoi expansion about 2,300 years ago. During the Yayoi expansion, people entering from the Korean Peninsula brought wet rice agriculture, weaving technology, and metalworking technology to Japan. The Yayoi expansion began on the island of Kyushu, where haplogroup O is very common today. It is possible that some of the early members of O1-F3356 were involved in this major shift, which quickly and dramatically altered Japanese culture.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the Han
Members of haplogroup D are found in both northern and southern Han Chinese populations at low to moderate frequencies. The Han people, who all share the same language and similar cultural practices, are the largest ethnic group in the world, with about 1.2 billion people. Historical evidence shows that Han people are descendants of the ancient Huaxia tribes that come from northern China, and Han language and culture only expanded into southern China in the last 2,000 years. The spread of Han people and culture from northern to southern China was likely driven by warfare and famine in the north.
What do people with the surname Oh have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Oh" Surname 36.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Oh" Surname 28.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Oh" Surname 21.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Oh" Surname 9.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Oh?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Oh are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition