Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total		Share Capital	Share Capital Class A Stock	Contributed Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Parent	Non-Controlling Interest
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2015			$ 57,520		$ 44,438	$ 417,001	$ (901)		$ 7,024
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Class A non-voting common stock				$ 5,463
Repurchase of Class A non-voting common stock for cancellation				(3,634)
Adjustment to Additional Paid in Capital, Income Tax Effect from Share-based Compensation, Net					(741)
Share-based expense					1,492
Vested employee share plan awards					(6,804)
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other					0
Net loss attributable to Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.	$ (3,847)					(3,847)		$ (3,847)
Dividends paid ($0.11 per share)						(1,476)
Dividends received from noncontrolling interest						0
Cumulative Effect on Retained Earnings, Net of Tax						0
Currency translation adjustment	873	[1]					873
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax	(62)							0	(62)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest	0								0
Dividends paid to parent									0
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2016	516,346		59,349		38,385	411,678	(28)	509,384	6,962
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2016	513,334		59,361		41,765	410,258	(681)	510,703	2,631
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Class A non-voting common stock				3,857
Repurchase of Class A non-voting common stock for cancellation				$ (4,357)
Adjustment to Additional Paid in Capital, Income Tax Effect from Share-based Compensation, Net					0
Share-based expense					1,317
Vested employee share plan awards					(6,060)
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other					425
Net loss attributable to Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.	(4,847)					(4,847)		(4,847)
Dividends paid ($0.11 per share)						(1,480)
Dividends received from noncontrolling interest						6
Cumulative Effect on Retained Earnings, Net of Tax						(314)
Currency translation adjustment	1,424	[1]					1,424
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax	96							0	96
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest	816							0	(816)
Dividends paid to parent									(6)
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2017	$ 502,579		$ 58,861		$ 37,447	$ 403,623	$ 743	$ 500,674	$ 1,905

[1] Total other comprehensive income is attributable to Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. No other comprehensive income is attributable to noncontrolling interests.