Oklahoma is informally known as "The Sooner State". After statehood in 1907, the University of Oklahoma nicknamed their American football team the "Sooners" to reflect an energetic and positive can-do spirit. The name was thereafter applied to the entire to the entire state.[1] The state covers an area of approximately 69,898 square miles (181,195 square kilometers).[2] As of 2023, the estimated population of Oklahoma is around 4.05 million.[3]
Oklahoma’s economy ranks 30th in size among states and Washington, DC.[4] In the 3rd quarter of 2023, the real GDP for Oklahoma was $249.6 billion in goods and services per year.[4] The economy of Oklahoma is not as balanced as those of many other U.S. states. There has in the past been over dependence on agriculture and petroleum.[5] Oklahoma’s most important mined products are petroleum and natural gas. The state ranks among the leading producers in the country.[6] Other mined products are coal, crushed stone (limestone quarries), iodine and sand and gravel.[6] Oklahoma is also 1st in rye production, 2nd in canola production, 5th in beef production.[7]
Some of the most beautiful places in Oklahoma include the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Quartz Mountain State Park, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Beavers Bend State Park, and Natural Falls State Park.
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History of OklahomaHistory of Oklahoma
The area now known as Oklahoma was first explored by the Spanish in the 1500s and 1600s, and later by the French in the 1600s and 1700s. Both Spain and France saw Oklahoma as a potential area for economic expansion in the New World.[8]
After the War of 1812, the U.S. government passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830 which mandated the move of the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole tribes to the unsettled land in what is now Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. The decision created a forced migration of approximately 60,000 people of the “Five Civilized Tribes” between 1830 and 1850, which came to be called the “Trail of Tears” . The journey, undertaken in the fall and winter of 1838–1839, was fatal for one-fourth of the Cherokee population.[9]
During the Civil War, Oklahoma, then known as Indian Territory, played a significant role due to its strategic location between the Union and Confederate states.[10] The diverse Native American population found themselves divided in their allegiances, with tribes like the Cherokee, Choctaw, and Chickasaw siding with the Confederacy, while the Creek and Seminole remained loyal to the Union.[10]
Oklahoma became the 46th state of the United States on November 16, 1907. The process involved the merging of Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory into a single state.[9]
During the 19th century, Oklahoma was characterized by high ratios of land to labor and capital, and by a dominance of primary (natural resource-based) production.[11] After the Civil War, there was rapid economic recovery spurred by railroad construction, expansion of timber and coal mining, and immigration of a substantial number of people of European ancestry.[11]
The 20th century saw Oklahoma transitioning from a region of settlement to a more developed state.[12] The economy began to look like that of a typical state, with population soaring from 790,000 in 1900 to 2,396,000 in 1930.[11] Despite facing challenges during the Great Depression of the 1930s and the oil bust of the 1980s, Oklahoma’s population and per capita income increased over the past century.[13]
Demographics of OklahomaDemographics of Oklahoma
The demographic distribution of the Oklahoma population is as follows:[14]
- White: 69.72%
- Two or more races: 9.96%
- Native American: 7.69%
- Black or African American: 7.21%
- Other race: 3%
- Asian: 2.24%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.17%
Most common surname in OklahomaMost common surname in Oklahoma
Researching family history in OklahomaResearching family history in Oklahoma
The National Archives at Fort Worth manages permanent federal records from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas. The Oklahoma State Archives and Records Administration has primary holdings for state agency records including territorial land records and surveyors' land records. The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) has been collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of Oklahoma and its people since 1893. The Western History Collection of the University of Oklahoma enjoys one of the largest and most complete collections of materials on the American West. Oklahoma also has state and local record repositories.
State county listState county list
Oklahoma has 77 counties.
| Adair | Alfafa | Atoka | Beaver |
| Beckham | Blaine | Bryan | Caddo |
| Canadian | Carter | Cherokee | Choctaw |
| Cimarron | Cleveland | Coal | Comanche |
| Cotton | Craig | Creek | Custer |
| Delaware | Dewey | Ellis | Garfield |
| Garvin | Grady | Grant | Greer |
| Harmon | Harper | Haskell | Hughes |
| Jackson | Jefferson | Johnston | Kay |
| Kingfisher | Kiowa | Latimer | Le Flore |
| Lincoln | Logan | Love | Major |
| Marshall | Mayes | McClain | McCurtain |
| Mcintosh | Murray | Muskogee | Noble |
| Nowata | Okfuskee | Oklahoma | Okmulgee |
| Osage | Ottawa | Pawnee | Payne |
| Pittsburg | Pontotoc | Pottawatomie | Pushmataha |
| Roger Mills | Rogers | Seminole | Sequoyah |
| Stephens | Texas | Tillman | Tulsa |
| Wagoner | Washington | Washita | Woods |
| Woodward |
See alsoSee also
Explore more about OklahomaExplore more about Oklahoma
MyHeritage.com has 12 genealogically valuable records for Oklahoma including Oklahoma, Voter Registrations, Oklahoma Newspapers, 1927-2009, Oklahoma, Tulsa County Death Notices, and the Oklahoma Dawes Rolls, 1898-1914. There are more records available in the Oklahoma Collections Catalog.
References
- ↑ Why Is Oklahoma Nicknamed the Sooner State?
- ↑ Geography of Oklahoma
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Oklahoma
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Economy of Oklahoma Statistics and Data Trends: GDP ranking, unemployment rate, and economic growth | USAFacts
- ↑ Oklahoma - Oil, Agriculture, Manufacturing | Britannica
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Economy of Oklahoma including Oklahoma Agriculture and Manufacturing from NETSTATE.COM
- ↑ Industry Sectors
- ↑ European Exploration | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Oklahoma enters the Union | November 16, 1907
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Civil War Battles in Oklahoma
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Oklahoma Economy | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
- ↑ Twentieth-Century Oklahoma | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
- ↑ Oklahoma’s Economy in 1920 and 2020—Some Similarities but Mostly Change
- ↑ Oklahoma Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)
- ↑ Most Common Surnames in Oklahoma, With Meanings