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Ou Family History

Ou Surname Meaning

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 歐 meaning ‘to sing someone's praise’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Dong Ou (東甌) a fief (in present-day Wenzhou in Zhejiang province) which was granted to Yao in 192 BC. It is said that Yao was a descendant of Wujiang (reigned 355–333 BC) king of the state of Yue (located mainly in present-day Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

(ii) from the placename Ou Yu (歐餘) the name of a fief (located in present-day Zhejiang province) that was granted to Ti the second son of Wujiang (reigned 355–333 BC) king of the state of Yue (located mainly in present-day Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 區 originally denoting an ancient vessel for measurement in ancient Chinese: from the personal name of Ou Zhizi (歐治子) an expert sword-maker who lived during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). Some of his descendants inherited Ou (歐) as their surname simplifying the Chinese character 歐 to 區.

Cambodian: written អ៊ូ of Chinese origin from 歐 (see 1 above).

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


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Where is the Ou family from?

You can see how Ou families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ou family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Ou families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 2 Ou families living in Ontario. This was 100% of all the recorded Ou's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Ou families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ou 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 Ou ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Laundryman was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Ou. 100% of Ou men worked as a Laundryman.

View Census Data for Ou | 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

  • Laundryman
    100%

What Ou family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Ou. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ou census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

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

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Draft Cards

There are 21,000 military records available for the last name Ou. For the veterans among your Ou ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Ou lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Ou life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Ou in 1964 was 66, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ou

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ou 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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