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Oates Family History

Oates Surname Meaning

English and Irish (of Norman origin): from the Old Norman French personal names Ode, Odde, Odes, Otto, Otes, or Otton (ancient Germanic Audo, Odo, Oddo, Otto) originally a short form of ancient Germanic compound names based on the element aud ‘wealth, prosperity’.

See also Ott. Irish and Manx: adopted for Ó Cuirc or Mac Cuirc (see Quirk) a personal name based on Gaelic corc ‘heart’ by erroneous association with the Irish word coirce ‘oats’ (Manx corkey).

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


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Where is the Oates family from?

You can see how Oates families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oates family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Oates families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 79 Oates families living in Ontario. This was about 73% of all the recorded Oates's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Oates families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oates 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 Oates ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Operator were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Oates. 31% of Oates men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Oates women worked as an Operator. Some less common occupations for Americans named Oates were Driver and Income.

View Census Data for Oates | 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

  • Farmer
    31%
  • Laborer
    27%
  • Accountant
    9%
  • Driver
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Operator
    60%
  • Income
    40%

What Oates family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 123,000 census records available for the last name Oates. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Oates census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Oates

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Oates. 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 Oates immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Oates. For the veterans among your Oates ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Oates military records

You've only scratched the surface of Oates family history

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What is the average Oates lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Oates life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Oates in 1940 was 46, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oates

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Oates 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.

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