Explore the Family Name Osa
The meaning of Osa
1. Spanish: habitational name from a placename containing the word osa ‘she-bear’. 2. Basque: Castilianized form of Otsa, a habitational name from a place called Otsa (in Castilian: Osa) in Navarre, from otso ‘wolf’. 3. Japanese: usually written 筬 ‘reed (of a loom)’ and mainly found in Saga prefecture. It can also be written phonetically, such as 小左 (‘small’ and ‘left’) in Shizuoka, Chiba and Ishikawa prefectures, or 尾佐 (‘tail’ and ‘help’) in Fukui, Hiroshima and Shimane prefectures. The character 長 ‘long’ is also pronounced osa in some instances. 4. Central African (mainly Equatorial Guinea): unexplained.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Osa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Osa saw an increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Osa ranked 81,700 in popularity and by 2010, it rose to rank 77,522—a growth of 5.11%. The count of people with the Osa surname increased by 14.88% during this time period, from 215 individuals in 2000 to 247 in 2010. Despite these changes, the proportion of individuals with the Osa surname per 100,000 people remained consistent at 0.08.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #81,700 | #77,522 | 5.11% |
| Count | 215 | 247 | 14.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Osa
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals a few shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals with the Osa surname identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander decreased by 17.00%, while those identifying as White increased by 2.80%. There was a significant increase among those identifying as Hispanic, with a rise of 28.58%. Conversely, individuals identifying as Black saw a decrease of 6.28%. The data for those identifying as two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native was suppressed for privacy reasons.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 38.6% | 39.68% | 2.8% |
| Hispanic | 20.47% | 26.32% | 28.58% |
| Black | 18.14% | 17% | -6.28% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 20% | 16.6% | -17% |
| Two or More Races | 2.79% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |