Explore the Family Name Oka

The meaning of Oka

1. Japanese: written 岡 or 丘 ‘hill’. It is found mostly in western Japan. In North America, the name could also be a shortening of longer names beginning with Oka-. 2. Albanian: metonymic occupational name from okë (definite form oka) ‘oke’, the name of an old measure of weight. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Masao, Takashi, Kaoru, Makiko, Masahiko, Rieko, Shigeki, Shogo, Akio, Atsuhiko, Atsushi, Haruo.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Oka has seen a slight decrease from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the name was ranked at 26,056 in terms of popularity, and by 2010 its rank had dropped to 27,732, indicating a decline of 6.43%. The count of individuals with this last name also fell from 884 to 867 during this period, a modest decrease of 1.92%. Similarly, the proportion of individuals named Oka per 100k people dipped by 12.12%, falling from 0.33 to 0.29.

20002010Change
Rank#26,056#27,732-6.43%
Count884867-1.92%
Proportion per 100k0.330.29-12.12%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Oka

In regards to ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census revealed that a majority of individuals with the Oka surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander in both 2000 and 2010. However, there was a notable decrease of 10.94% in this group over the decade, falling from 72.40% to 64.48%. On the other hand, those identifying as two or more races saw a significant increase of 52.90%, rising from 7.92% to 12.11%. Individuals recognizing themselves as White, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw increases over the period, with respective changes of 18.68%, 40.34%, and 44.65%. Meanwhile, the Hispanic population saw a small decline of 2.12%, going from 5.66% to 5.54%.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander72.4%64.48%-10.94%
Two or More Races7.92%12.11%52.9%
White8.94%10.61%18.68%
Hispanic5.66%5.54%-2.12%
American Indian and Alaskan Native2.71%3.92%44.65%
Black2.38%3.34%40.34%