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Ott Family History

Ott Surname Meaning

German: from a short form of ancient Germanic compound names based on the element aud ōd ‘wealth prosperity’ (see Otto and 2 below). English (London): from the Old Norman French personal name Ode Odde Odes Otto Otes Otton (ancient Germanic Audo Odo Oddo Otto) originally a short form of ancient Germanic compound names based on the element aud ‘wealth prosperity’. Many of these names were Latinized as Odo. Odo was the name of the half-brother of the Conqueror archbishop of Bayeux who accompanied the Norman expedition to England and was rewarded with 439 confiscated manors. Compare Oates . Chinese: possibly from Taishanese form of the Chinese name 達 (meaning ‘eminent’) a monosyllabic personal name or part of a disyllabic personal name of some early Chinese immigrants in the US.

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


Similar surnames: Lott, Ort, Gott, Pott, Bott, Dott, Cott, Ost, Mott, Nott

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Ott family from?

You can see how Ott families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ott family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ott families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 93 Ott families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 48% of all the recorded Ott's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Ott families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ott surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Ott ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ott. 15% of Ott men worked as a Farmer and 10% of Ott women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ott were Clerk and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Ott | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    15%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Clerk
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    10%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
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What Ott family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 129,000 census records available for the last name Ott. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ott census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Ott

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Ott. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ott immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 54,000 military records available for the last name Ott. For the veterans among your Ott ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Ott family history

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What is the average Ott lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Ott life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Ott in 1944 was 24, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ott

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