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

Ottaway Family History

Ottaway Name Meaning

English (southeastern): from the Middle English personal name Otewi (Old French Otoïs from ancient Germanic Otwic composed of elements meaning ‘wealth’ and ‘battle’).

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


Similar surnames: Hathaway, Ordway, Ottmar, Tawney, Gasaway, Attaway, Ottley, Allaway

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 Ottaway family from?

You can see how Ottaway families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ottaway family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Ottaway families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 19 Ottaway families living in Ontario. This was about 61% of all the recorded Ottaway's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Ottaway families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ottaway surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Ottaway ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer and Telephone Operator were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Ottaway. 34% of Ottaway men worked as a Labourer and 100% of Ottaway women worked as a Telephone Operator. .

View Census Data for Ottaway | 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
    34%
  • Farmer
    34%
  • Painter
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Telephone Operator
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ottaway family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 22,000 census records available for the last name Ottaway. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ottaway census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Ottaway

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Ottaway. 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 Ottaway immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Ottaway. For the veterans among your Ottaway ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ottaway military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ottaway family history

Discover More

What is the average Ottaway lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Ottaway life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Ottaway in 1960 was 52, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ottaway

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ottaway family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Ottaway last name

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