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Ostman Family History

Ostman Surname Meaning

Swedish (Östman): ornamental or topographic name composed of the elements öst ‘east’ + man ‘man’.

Americanized form of North German Ostmann or Östmann (see Oestmann).

Compare Eastman.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ostman family from?

You can see how Ostman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ostman family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Ostman families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 10 Ostman families living in Ontario. This was about 43% of all the recorded Ostman's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Ostman families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ostman surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Ostman ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ostman. 24% of Ostman men worked as a Laborer and 24% of Ostman women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ostman were Machinist and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Ostman | 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

  • Laborer
    24%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Carpenter
    12%
  • Machinist
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    24%
  • Maid
    17%
  • Stenographer
    14%
  • Housekeeper
    10%

What Ostman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Ostman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ostman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Ostman

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Ostman. 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 Ostman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 889 military records available for the last name Ostman. For the veterans among your Ostman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ostman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ostman family history

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What is the average Ostman lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Ostman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Ostman in 1959 was 46, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ostman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ostman ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ostman family tree

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