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Ollison Family History

Ollison Surname Meaning

Americanized form of Norwegian Olsen or Olesen.

African American: probably an altered form of English and Scottish Allison or Ellison.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Ollison family from?

You can see how Ollison families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ollison family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ollison families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 8 Ollison families living in Ontario. This was about 67% of all the recorded Ollison's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Ollison families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ollison 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 Ollison ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ollison. 36% of Ollison men worked as a Laborer and 21% of Ollison women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ollison were Carpenter and Housewife.

View Census Data for Ollison | 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
    36%
  • Farmer
    27%
  • Farm Laborer
    5%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    21%
  • Laundress
    11%
  • Maid
    8%
  • Housewife
    8%

What Ollison family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Ollison. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ollison census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Ollison

Passenger Lists

There are 244 immigration records available for the last name Ollison. 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 Ollison immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 325 military records available for the last name Ollison. For the veterans among your Ollison ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ollison military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ollison family history

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What is the average Ollison lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Ollison life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 1966. The average life expectancy for Ollison in 1955 was 51, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ollison

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ollison 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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