NameCensus.

UK surname

Otieno

A Kenyan surname originating as a personal name from the Luo ethnic group.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sutton, Watford and Hillingdon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Otieno is 146 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

146

2016, ranked #24,173

Peak year

2016

146 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016, ranked #24,173.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Otieno surname distribution map

The map shows where the Otieno surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Otieno surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Otieno over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1997 modern 42 #33,459
1998 modern 45 #33,374
1999 modern 43 #33,683
2000 modern 37 #34,217
2001 modern 41 #33,753
2002 modern 46 #33,631
2003 modern 60 #32,446
2004 modern 62 #32,478
2005 modern 77 #31,156
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 120 #27,124
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 131 #25,439
2013 modern 134 #25,525
2014 modern 144 #24,504
2015 modern 141 #24,723
2016 modern 146 #24,173

Geography

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Where Otienos are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sutton, Watford, Hillingdon, Sevenoaks and Bexley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sutton 018 Sutton
2 Watford 010 Watford
3 Hillingdon 018 Hillingdon
4 Sevenoaks 007 Sevenoaks
5 Bexley 003 Bexley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Otieno

These lists show first names that appear often with the Otieno surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Otieno

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Otieno, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Otieno surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Otieno household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Otieno is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Otieno is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Otieno falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Otieno is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Otieno, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Otieno

The surname OTIENO originates from the Luo ethnic group in western Kenya, whose language belongs to the Nilotic branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family. The name is derived from the Luo word "otieno," which means "born in the evening."

OTIENO is a common surname among the Luo people, who have a long and rich cultural history dating back centuries. The name can be traced back to the early days of the Luo migration from the Nile Valley region to their current homeland in western Kenya.

Historical records and oral traditions suggest that the OTIENO surname first appeared in the 17th and 18th centuries, when the Luo people settled in the areas around Lake Victoria. During this period, the surname was likely used to identify individuals born in the evening hours, a significant event in Luo culture.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the OTIENO surname can be found in the writings of Johann Ludwig Krapf, a German missionary who lived among the Luo people in the 19th century. Krapf's accounts mention several individuals with the surname OTIENO, indicating its widespread use at the time.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures with the surname OTIENO. One of the most prominent was Jaramogi Oginga Odinga (1911-1994), a Kenyan political leader and former vice president who played a significant role in Kenya's struggle for independence from British colonial rule.

Another famous OTIENO was Grace Onyango (1924-2008), a Kenyan politician and women's rights activist who was the first woman to be elected to the Kenyan parliament in 1969. She was a vocal advocate for gender equality and women's empowerment.

In the field of literature, Okot p'Bitek (1919-1982) was a renowned Ugandan poet, writer, and academic who hailed from the Luo community. His works, which explored Luo culture and traditions, are widely regarded as classics of African literature.

Other notable individuals with the OTIENO surname include James Otieno (1949-2012), a Kenyan long-distance runner who competed in the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games, and Okoth Otieno (1937-2003), a Kenyan judge and legal scholar who served as Chief Justice of Kenya from 1998 to 2003.

While the OTIENO surname is most prevalent among the Luo people of western Kenya, it has also spread to other parts of the country and beyond due to migration and intermarriage. However, its roots remain firmly grounded in the rich cultural heritage of the Luo ethnic group.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Otieno surname: questions and answers

How common is the Otieno surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016. That gives Otieno a modern rank of #24,173.

What does the Otieno surname mean?

A Kenyan surname originating as a personal name from the Luo ethnic group.

What does the Otieno map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Otieno bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.