History of your Surname
Get access to Obey family records.Start a free trial

Obey Family History

Obey Name Meaning

English (London): habitational name from Oby Norfolk which is recorded as Othebei and Oebei in 1086. The placename derives from the Old Norse personal name Authi + Old Norse ‘farmstead village’. Americanized form of French Aubin . Americanized form of French Canadian Aubé; see Aube

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Obee, Cobey, Otey, Ober, Okey, Sobey, Orey, Dobey, Gobel, Osen

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Obey family from?

You can see how Obey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Obey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Obey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 10 Obey families living in Ontario. This was about 71% of all the recorded Obey's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Obey families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Obey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Obey ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Obey. 72% of Obey men worked as a Labourer. .

View Census Data for Obey | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Labourer
    72%
  • Teamster
    29%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Obey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Obey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Obey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Obey

Passenger Lists

There are 641 immigration records available for the last name Obey. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Obey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 645 military records available for the last name Obey. For the veterans among your Obey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Obey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Obey family history

Discover More

What is the average Obey lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Obey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Obey in 1950 was 57, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Obey

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Obey family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Obey last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial