Explore the Family Name Oko
The meaning of Oko
1. Polish: nickname from oko ‘eye’. 2. West African (Nigeria): Igbo name, from a short form of a male personal name like Okonkwo, which is based on a word meaning ‘male’. Compare Okoh. 3. West African (Ghana): from a male personal name found among the Ga people, denoting a male twin. Compare Okoh. 4. Central African (Congo): unexplained. 5. Japanese: written 尾古 ‘lower slope’ and ‘ancient’. 6. Japanese (Okō): written 大后 ‘great queen’, or 尾幸 ‘lower slope’ and ‘happy’, or 岡豊 ‘hill’ and ‘abundant’. 7. Japanese (Ōko): written 往古 ‘chase’ and ‘ancient’. 8. Japanese (Ōkō): written 往光 ‘chase’ and ‘shine’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Oko in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Oko has seen a significant increase. In 2000, Oko was ranked as the 83,965th most popular surname in the United States with a count of 208 bearers across the nation. By 2010, it had jumped to the 66,754th spot, showing a 20.5% rise in rank. The number of people bearing the surname Oko also increased by 42.31%, from 208 individuals in 2000 to 296 individuals in 2010. As a result, its proportion per 100k people rose by 25.0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #83,965 | #66,754 | 20.5% |
| Count | 208 | 296 | 42.31% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.1 | 25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Oko
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Oko has also seen some shifts between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, a majority of those with the surname were identified as White (76.92%), followed by Black (16.35%), and Asian/Pacific Islander (5.29%). However, by 2010, while the majority of bearers still identified as White (64.19%), there was a notable increase in the percentage identifying as Black (29.73%)—an 81.83% change. The percentage of people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander decreased to 2.36%. Interestingly, the 2010 census also recorded bearers of the surname Oko who identified as belonging to two or more races (1.69%) and Hispanic (2.03%), identities that were not reported in the 2000 census.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 76.92% | 64.19% | -16.55% |
| Black | 16.35% | 29.73% | 81.83% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 5.29% | 2.36% | -55.39% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 2.03% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.69% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |