Meaning and origin
The surname Urban is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old High German word 'oiver,' meaning 'city dweller' or 'townsman.' It was originally an occupational name given to individuals who lived or worked in an urban or populated area. Over time, the name spread to various European countries and has become a relatively common surname today.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,790
Urban was the 1,790th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 20,058 people, about 6.5 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Urban
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Urban is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.