2000
#6,842
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,527
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.68
Rare Last name
Omara
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Meadhra," meaning "descendant of Meadhair" (a personal name meaning "merry").
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,952 Americans carry the last name Omara. That puts it at #7,444 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.44 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 69,215 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Omara surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Omara with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.0K
1 in 69,215
Census rank
#7,444
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,318 bearers of the surname Omara in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.44 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7444th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Omara, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Omara
The surname OMARA has its origins in the Gaelic language of Ireland. It is believed to have originated in the region of County Clare during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "O'Mara," which translates to "descendant of the sea-battler" or "descendant of the sea-warrior."
This surname is thought to have first appeared in ancient Irish texts and manuscripts dating back to the 10th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention several individuals with the surname OMARA participating in various battles and conflicts during that time.
In the 12th century, the OMARA family established themselves as a prominent clan in County Clare, particularly in the region known as Thomond. They held significant influence and power in the area, and their name became associated with various place names, such as Mara and Maratown.
One notable member of the OMARA clan was Donough O'Mara, who lived in the 14th century and served as the Chief of the Name. He was renowned for his military prowess and leadership during the conflicts between the Irish clans and the Anglo-Norman invaders.
Another prominent figure with the surname OMARA was Dermot O'Mara, who lived in the 16th century. He was a renowned poet and scholar, and his works are preserved in the Book of Fermoy, a collection of Irish poetry from that era.
In the 17th century, the OMARA family faced significant challenges during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Many members of the clan were forced to flee or had their lands confiscated. However, the name endured, and individuals with the surname OMARA continued to play important roles in Irish society and culture.
One such individual was Turlough O'Mara, who lived in the late 17th century and was a prominent member of the Jacobite movement, which aimed to restore the Catholic Stuart monarchy to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the OMARA surname spread beyond Ireland as many individuals emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly to the United States, Canada, and Australia. Notable individuals from this period include John O'Mara (1796-1880), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of New York.
Throughout history, the surname OMARA has maintained its strong connection to its Irish roots and the rich cultural heritage of County Clare. While the spelling and pronunciation may have evolved over time, the name continues to hold a significant place in the annals of Irish history and tradition.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Omara
Among Census respondents with the surname Omara, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Omara bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Omara surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 3,961
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 148
- Two or more races2.8% · 121
- Black or African American1.0% · 42
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 31
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Omara
Omara appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,993
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,792
+265 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 1.62
Rank movement Down 151 places
2020
#7,444
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,318
-474 bearers (-9.9%)
Per 100,000 1.44
Rank movement Down 451 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,842 | 4,527 | 1.68 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,993 | 4,792 | 1.62 | +265 bearers (+5.9%) | Down 151 places |
| 2020 | #7,444 | 4,318 | 1.44 | -474 bearers (-9.9%) | Down 451 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Omara surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,993 | #7,444 | -6.4% |
| Count | 4,792 | 4,318 | -9.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.62 | 1.44 | -10.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Omara bearers went from 4,792 to 4,318 (-9.9% change). The surname moved down 451 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,993 to #7,444.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Omara
FAQ
Omara surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Omara?
Name Census estimates that about 4,952 living Americans carry the surname Omara. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 69,215 residents.
How common is Omara?
Omara ranks #7,444 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.44 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,318 people with the surname Omara. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,952), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.44 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.44 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Omara.
Has Omara become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Omara went from 4,792 recorded bearers to 4,318. That is a decrease of 474 (-9.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,993 to #7,444.
What does the Census say about the background of Omara?
Among Census respondents with the surname Omara, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Omara in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (3,961 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Omara appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Omara (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Omara mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Meadhra," meaning "descendant of Meadhair" (a personal name meaning "merry"). The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Omara (1.44 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Omara?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.