Explore the Family Name Ostrowski
The meaning of Ostrowski
Polish and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name for someone from any of many places in Poland and adjacent parts of Eastern Europe named with Polish ostrów ‘island, water meadow’ (see Ostrow) or a cognate word in a related Slavic language. This surname is also found in Germany. Compare Ostrovsky, Ostrow, and Ostrowsky. Some characteristic forenames: Polish Casimir, Ewa, Bogdan, Jerzy, Stanislaw, Waclaw, Alicja, Andrzej, Boguslaw, Bronislaw, Danuta, Darek.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ostrowski in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Ostrowski ranked 4647 in popularity in the year 2000 and dropped to a ranking of 5015 by 2010, marking a decline of approximately 7.92%. During the same period, the number of individuals with the Ostrowski surname slightly increased from 6980 to 7005, representing a modest growth of 0.36%. However, the proportion of this surname among all surnames in the United States per 100,000 inhabitants fell from 2.59 to 2.37, indicating a decrease of around -8.49%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,647 | #5,015 | -7.92% |
| Count | 6,980 | 7,005 | 0.36% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.59 | 2.37 | -8.49% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ostrowski
In terms of ethnic identity, the same Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority holding the surname Ostrowski identify as White, accounting for 97.21% in 2000 and decreasing slightly to 96.46% in 2010. The Hispanic population carrying this surname saw the most significant increase over this decade, rising by 45.90%, albeit from a relatively small base of 1.22% to 1.78%. The Asian/Pacific Islander group also showed a noteworthy jump of 38.89%, growing from 0.36% to 0.50%. Those identifying with two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups both experienced slight increases. However, the percentage of Black individuals with this surname dropped marginally from 0.16% to 0.14% during the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.21% | 96.46% | -0.77% |
| Hispanic | 1.22% | 1.78% | 45.9% |
| Two or More Races | 0.97% | 1% | 3.09% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.36% | 0.5% | 38.89% |
| Black | 0.16% | 0.14% | -12.5% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.09% | 0.11% | 22.22% |
Ostrowski ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Ostrowski is Eastern European, which comprises 40.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (26.0%) and French & German (16.0%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Korean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Eastern European | 40.0% |
| British & Irish | 26.0% |
| French & German | 16.0% |
| Other | 18.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Ostrowski
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Ostrowski have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Poland, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland | 64.50% |
| Masovian Voivodeship, Poland | 63.90% |
| Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Poland | 62.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 60.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 60.10% |
What Ostrowski haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Ostrowski is R-CTS3402, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS3402 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include I-DF29 and I-CTS5966, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Kozlowski, Kwiatkowski, Kasper, Wozniak, Kowal, Sikora, Wager, Sadowski, Krupa, Kozak.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Ostrowski surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Ostrowski have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Ostrowski" Surname 33.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Ostrowski" Surname 13.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Ostrowski" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Ostrowski" Surname 19.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Ostrowski?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Ostrowski are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition