Top 1000 Last Names Start with O

Popular Last Names That Start With O

The name Olson, also known as Olsson or Oleson, is a common patronymic surname derived from Scandinavia that means "son of Olof or Ole" . The Olson family name was found in America, the UK, Canada, and Scotland.

A product of the ancient Brythonic Celts of Wales, the name Owens that stands in our list as the number, is from the Welsh personal name, Owen or Owain. The Old Welsh versions of this name were Ouen and Ouein and were borrowed from the Latin name Eugenius.

Oliver is the name that came from the Latin word olivarius that means olive tree planter. It also has roots in Old French and Medieva. The Normans were introducing the name to England.

The surname O'Brien is "O'Briain" in Irish, meaning to say the heir of Brian. The name means exalted one or prominent. This name is among the ten most frequently found in Ireland and comes from the 10th century King of Ireland, Brian Boru. Many famous personalities had this name over the years.

The name Olsen has Danish and Norwegian roots and came from the personal name Olaf, Olav. Olaf has always been one of the most popular Scandinavian names; it continued to be famous in the Middle Ages.

Famous People with Surnames That Start with O

There are many famous people whose name starts with the letter O. In case you are looking for some of the most popular ones, then have a look and find out which ones are.

Mike O'Callaghan

He was an American politician who worked as a Governor of Nevada from 1971 to 1979. He was a member of the Democratic Party and was born in Wisconsin. He later O'moved to Sparta, where his family subsistence farmed. He lied about his age so he could join the Marine Corps.

David M. O'Connell

David Michael O'Connell is a member of the Congregation of the Mission, known as the Vincentian Fathers, and a past President of the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He is now the bishop in the United States.

Tim O'Brien

William Timothy O'Brien is an American novelist who got fame for his book The Things They Carried. It was a collection of linked semi-autobiographical stories inspired by O'Brien's experiences in the Vietnam War.

Joan O'Brien

Joan Marie O'Brien is a popular American actress and singer. She had a name for herself acting in television shows in the eras of 1950s and 1960s and as a film co-star with Cary Grant, Elvis Presley, John Wayne, and Jerry Lewis.

James A. O'Gorman

O'Gorman was born in Manhattan and attended the public schools, the College of the City of New York, and did his bachelor's from the law department of New York University in 1882. He was admitted to the bar the exact same year.

What Do Our Last Names Tell Us About Ourselves?

Many things can be associated with when we talk about the last names. First of all, they tell a lot about the person's cultural representation with a particular surname. They sometimes represent who you are as a person and a member of a specific community.

This is not always true, but most of the time, it works like that. These last names help distinguish you as a person and allow you to connect with a specified social and cultural class. Our last names tell us about the way we can own a certain place in society.

Although it varies from place to place, more or less these standards are the same everywhere. In some cultures, you are recognized by the last name you have and it will further classify your social and economic status in that community. Within a society you are being identified on the basis of your last names and that becomes a status symbol for some.