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Oster Family History

Oster Name Meaning

Swedish (Öster) and German: topographic name from Swedish öster, Middle Low German and Middle High German oster ‘eastern’, denoting someone who lived to the east of a settlement or who had come there from the east. In many cases the Swedish name is probably ornamental. German: nickname for someone who had a connection with the festival of Easter (for example, someone who was born or baptized at that time), from Oster ‘Easter’. Jewish (Ashkenazic): topographic or ornamental name from German Ost ‘east’ or ornamental name from German Oster ‘Easter’; compare 1 and 3. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): nickname from Polish ostry or Russian ostryj ‘sharp’, ‘sharp-minded’. Dutch: from a Germanic personal name composed of aust ‘east’ + heri, hari ‘army’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Otter, Osten, Koster, Easter, Poster, Doster, Oser, Ester, Ostler

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Oster family from?

You can see how Oster families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oster family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Oster families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 65 Oster families living in Ontario. This was about 57% of all the recorded Oster's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Oster families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oster 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 Oster ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Oster. 54% of Oster men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Oster women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Oster were Farm Help and Coat Maker. .

View Census Data for Oster | 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
    54%
  • Labourer
    18%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Farm Help
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    50%
  • Coat Maker
    50%
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What Oster family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Oster. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Oster census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Oster

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Oster. 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 Oster immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Oster. For the veterans among your Oster ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Oster military records

You've only scratched the surface of Oster family history

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What is the average Oster lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Oster life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Oster in 1944 was 37, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oster

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