Explore the Family Name Osten
The meaning of Osten
1. German: topographic name derived from German Ost(en) ‘east’ or a habitational name from any of several places so named in northern Germany. In some cases it is a shortened form of von der Osten, meaning ‘from the Oste river’, a name borne by an old Pomeranian noble family. 2. Flemish and Dutch: patronymic from the personal name Oste, from ancient Germanic Austa, meaning ‘east’. Compare Hosten. 3. Swedish: of German origin (see 1 above) or an ornamental name from ost ‘east’ + the adjectival suffix -en, a derivative of Latin -enius ‘relating to’. It is very rare in Sweden.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Osten in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Osten saw a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 31,167 in popularity and decreased to 32,960 by 2010, reflecting a 5.75 percent drop. The count of individuals with this surname also fell marginally from 704 to 695, signifying a 1.28 percent decrease. Furthermore, the proportion of Osten per 100,000 people went down by 7.69 percent from 0.26 to 0.24 during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,167 | #32,960 | -5.75% |
| Count | 704 | 695 | -1.28% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.24 | -7.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Osten
Regarding the ethnicity of those bearing the Osten surname, data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the majority identified as White, although there was a small decline from 94.18 percent in 2000 to 92.37 percent in 2010. During this time, there was a significant increase of 132.32 percent in those identifying as Hispanic, albeit from a low base of 0.99 percent in 2000 to 2.30 percent in 2010. The percentage of people with the Osten surname identifying as Black experienced a slight increase of 1.66 percent. Similarly, those recognizing themselves as American Indian and Alaskan Native rose by 26.32 percent, while no change was observed for Asian/Pacific Islander or those who identify as two or more races.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.18% | 92.37% | -1.92% |
| Black | 2.41% | 2.45% | 1.66% |
| Hispanic | 0.99% | 2.3% | 132.32% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.14% | 1.44% | 26.32% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |