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Okawa Family History

Okawa Surname Meaning

Japanese (Ōkawa): written 大川 ‘large river’. It is found mostly in eastern Japan and the Ryūkyū Islands.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Okawa family from?

You can see how Okawa families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Okawa family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1911 and 1920. The most Okawa families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there was 1 Okawa family living in Alberta. This was 100% of all the recorded Okawa's in Canada. Alberta had the highest population of Okawa families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Okawa 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 Okawa ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Okawa. 29% of Okawa men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Okawa women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Okawa were Gardener and Dress Maker.

View Census Data for Okawa | 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
    29%
  • Farmer
    24%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • Gardener
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    50%
  • Dress Maker
    50%

What Okawa family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 672 census records available for the last name Okawa. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Okawa census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Okawa

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 438 military records available for the last name Okawa. For the veterans among your Okawa ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Okawa military records

You've only scratched the surface of Okawa family history

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What is the average Okawa lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Okawa life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Okawa in 1959 was 41, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Okawa

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Okawa 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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