Explore the Family Name Onan
The meaning of Onan
Irish: variant of Oonan, itself a variant of Honeen (see Honan 2). History: Alexander Onan (born in Ireland c.1793) came to Kent Co., MI, in the early 19th century.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Onan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Onan has seen a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name ranked 25,945, but by 2010, it had jumped to 24,090, an increase of 7.15%. The number of individuals with this surname also increased across the decade from 889 to 1045, a boost of 17.55%. This trend is reflected in the proportion per 100,000 people, which saw a 6.06% increase, moving from 0.33 to 0.35.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,945 | #24,090 | 7.15% |
| Count | 889 | 1,045 | 17.55% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.33 | 0.35 | 6.06% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Onan
The ethnicity of those carrying the surname Onan experienced some changes as well, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander decreased by 36.67%, while the percentage of those identifying with two or more races grew by 60%. The majority of Onans identified as White in both years, with a slight drop of 0.67% from 2000 to 2010. There was an increase in the Hispanic population by 10.71%, and new appearances in the Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native categories by 2010. Data for these last two groups was suppressed (S) in 2000 for privacy reasons.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.95% | 95.31% | -0.67% |
| Two or More Races | 0.9% | 1.44% | 60% |
| Hispanic | 1.12% | 1.24% | 10.71% |
| Black | 0% | 0.96% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.9% | 0.57% | -36.67% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.48% | 0% |