The Osborn surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 32,439 people carried this name — #1,078 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,090 people counted. That is up 1% from 32,044 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Osborn surname

An English surname transferred from the given name.

Variant of Osborne.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Osborn» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Osbern’.

An early record he cites: Gerard fil. Oseberne, Huntingdonshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls. Fil. is Latin for “son of”.

His entry covers Osborn and Osborne.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 573 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Osborn was found among the farmers of 16 counties.

It was most frequent in Somerset: 25 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 400. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Osborn and Osborne.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Somerset 25
Worcestershire 22
Bedfordshire 20
Buckinghamshire 20
Cambridgeshire 20
Cornwall 20
Gloucestershire 20
Northamptonshire 20

And 8 more counties.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

432 families named Osborn, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 2,368 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 19 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 112
New York 75
Massachusetts 62
North Carolina 45
Virginia 41
Maryland 37
Pennsylvania 23
South Carolina 14
New Hampshire 10
Vermont 8
Rhode Island 4
Maine 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 256 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Osborn in American newspapers,
1905–1922.

Newspaper page from The News & Observer carrying the name Osborn
The News & Observer 1905-08-25
Newspaper page from The News & Observer carrying the name Osborn
The News & Observer 1905-08-27
Newspaper page from El Mundo carrying the name Osborn
El Mundo 1922-12-28

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 270,006 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Osborn in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

25,070 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Osborn. The most, 4,490, date from the 1920s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 7,292
Victoria 6,843
Queensland 4,778
South Australia 3,324
Western Australia 2,095
Tasmania 482
ACT (Canberra) 104
Northern Territory 8

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Osborn.

Who carried it

People named Osborn,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Louise Brown Osborn d. 1972 · writer
  • John Osborn d. 1830 · naval officer
  • Elizabeth Annie Osborn d. 1922
  • Mary Osborn d. 1761
  • Louisa Anne Osborn d. 1864
  • Agnes Marjorie Osborn d. 1982

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Osborn,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,950 records

2,950 records of the Osborn name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,114
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 733
  • Other U.S. records 1,103
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James Walter Osborn

    Born 1930; from Maricopa County, Arizona. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; declared dead 1950 in North Korea. Buried at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Robert S. Osborn

    Born 1918 in Minnesota. Enlisted 1940 at Fort Snelling; sales clerk from Hennepin County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1991, buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Richard Osborn

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Adriatic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 52; laborer. From Cork, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,950 records for Osborn in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia695 records

695 records of the Osborn name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 352
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 141
  • Other Australian records 202
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Robert Osborn

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Marquis of Hastings, sailing from Portsmouth in 1839. Native of Suffolk. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1845.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mary Courtney Osborn

    Died 1884 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 43. Will registered in Tasmania in 1884.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Osborn

    Arrived in Victoria in 1886 aboard the Orient, aged 30; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 695 records for Osborn in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada63 records

63 records of the Osborn name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 34
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 16
  • Other Canadian records 13
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Osborn

    Came to Ontario in 1876 aboard the Manitoban, bound for London, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Charles Robert Osborn

    Buried in 1979 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 60.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sidney Osborn

    Died 1869 in Cornwallis, Kings, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 63 records for Osborn in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom54 records

54 records of the Osborn name in the United Kingdom
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 27
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 26
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Osborn

    Buried in 1804 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 41.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record James A. Osborn

    Died 1917. Named in the roll of honour (1926).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. J. Osborn

    Gunner, South Wales Borderers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 54 records for Osborn in the United Kingdom.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand11 records

11 records of the Osborn name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 10
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Clarence Osborn

    Died 1971, aged 73; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record C. Osborn

    Gunner, New Zealand Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Daisy Frances Christina Osborn

    Died 1957, aged 69; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 11 records for Osborn in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Netherlands9 records

9 records of the Osborn name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 3
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Fredrich Jesse Osborn

    Married in 1923 in Apeldoorn; typographer. Died 1968 in Zutphen, aged 69; musician.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Hendrik Osborn

    Died 1861 in Molenstreek, aged 46; labourer.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Osborn

    Married in 1634 in Utrecht.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Osborn in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France6 records

6 records of the Osborn name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Mary Osborn

    Born 1902 in Great Britain; died 1996 in Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record John Denis Osborn

    Born 1914 in Great Britain; died 1998 in Calais (Pas-de-Calais).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Joyce Osborn

    Born 1920 in Great Britain; died 1994 in Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Osborn in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Osborn.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Osborn.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Osborn is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Osborn volume
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