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

Otness Family History

Otness Name Meaning

Norwegian: old variant of Otnes (and in North America probably also an altered form of this) a habitational name from any of the three farmsteads named with Ot (probably from a river name related to otte ‘fear’) + nes ‘headland promontory’.

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


Similar surnames: Osness, Rogness, Urness, Oines, Ness, Fodness, Fadness, Axness

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 Otness family from?

You can see how Otness families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Otness family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Otness families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there was 1 Otness family living in Alberta. This was 100% of all the recorded Otness's in Canada. Alberta had the highest population of Otness families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Otness surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Otness ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Otness. 30% of Otness men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Otness women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Otness were Machinist and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Otness | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    30%
  • Laborer
    30%
  • Fisherman
    20%
  • Machinist
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    60%
  • Housewife
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Otness family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 512 census records available for the last name Otness. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Otness census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Otness

Passenger Lists

There are 179 immigration records available for the last name Otness. 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 Otness immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 136 military records available for the last name Otness. For the veterans among your Otness ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Otness military records

You've only scratched the surface of Otness family history

Discover More

What is the average Otness lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Otness life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Otness in 1962 was 39, and 61 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Otness

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Otness family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Otness last name

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