The Oldenburger Family Name

In old registers, Oldenburger often stands in for Oldenburg. The name is generally explained as “One who came from Oldenburg (old fortification), the name of four places in Germany”.

• The ending -er in Oldenburger is a typical German derivative of the root behind Oldenburg.
• The same family of names includes Oldenberg.
• The 2010 US Census counted 203 people named Oldenburger, ranking it number 90,853 among American surnames.
• Census takers and immigration officers often wrote what they heard.

Heraldry and the Oldenburger name

Looking for an Oldenburger coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours. For the full story, order the Oldenburger surname pack.