The Oates surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 12,202 people carried this name — #2,940 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 24,200 people counted. That is up 8% from 11,346 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Oates surname

As an English and Irish surname of Norman origin, from Old Norman Ode, Odes, from the Germanic name Audo, shortened from compound names containing the element *aud (“wealth”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Oates» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Odo’.

An early record he cites: Johannes Hotes, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Oat, Oates, Oats and Oatson.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 565 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Oates was found among the farmers of Cornwall: 19 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Oates and Oats.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cornwall 19

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Oates in American newspapers,
1892–1900.

Newspaper page from The Weekly Tribune carrying the name Oates
The Weekly Tribune 1892-08-13
Newspaper page from The Grenada Sentinel carrying the name Oates
The Grenada Sentinel 1892-08-13
Newspaper page from Daily Inter Mountain carrying the name Oates
Daily Inter Mountain 1900-03-31

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 7,672 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Oates in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

29,662 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Oates. The most, 6,990, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 9,538
Victoria 5,795
Western Australia 5,274
South Australia 4,660
Queensland 2,490
Tasmania 1,659
ACT (Canberra) 149
Northern Territory 35

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Oates.

Who carried it

People named Oates,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Titus Oates
    Titus Oates 1649–1705 · priest
  • William C. Oates
    William C. Oates 1833–1910 · lawyer
  • Elizabeth Farmar d. 1810
  • William Oates 1600–1660
  • Samuel Oates 1614–1683
  • Deborah Oates 1650–

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Oates,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,428 records

1,428 records of the Oates name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 408
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 365
  • Other U.S. records 655
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Samuel Arthur Oates

    Born 1949; from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. U.S. Marine Corps, machinegunner; killed in action 1967 in Quang Tin, South Vietnam. Buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ettry J. Oates

    Born 1920 in Texas. Enlisted 1942 at Dallas; filling station attendant from Limestone County. Veteran of World War II; died 1966, buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Richard Oates

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the City of New York from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 44; auctioneer. From Plymouth, England; bound for Michigan.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,428 records for Oates in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,232 records

1,232 records of the Oates name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 519
  • Tasmanian Names Index 324
  • Other Australian records 389
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Charles Oates

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Anson, sailing from Plymouth in 1843. Native of Yorkshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849. Married 1849 in Kingston, Tasmania, aged 25.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Charles Oates

    Died 1924 in Franklin, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1924.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Rowland Henry Oates

    Born 1874 in Victoria - Huon, Tasmania. Married 1896 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 23.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,232 records for Oates in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada59 records

59 records of the Oates name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 41
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 6
  • Other Canadian records 12
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Edward Oates

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Austrian, landing at Portland, bound for Georgetown, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Kenneth Hirst Oates

    Buried in 1963 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 46.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Elizth Kelly Oates

    Died 1907 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 59 records for Oates in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom39 records

39 records of the Oates name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 37
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Barbara Oates

    Buried in 1823 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 69.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. Oates

    Manchester Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Oates

    Buried in 1799 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 20.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 39 records for Oates in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand26 records

26 records of the Oates name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 18
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 5
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Eliza Oates

    Died 1902, aged 60; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lauria Oates

    Buried in 1888 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 38.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record J. Oates

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 26 records for Oates in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Netherlands4 records

4 records of the Oates name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 3
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Vincent Oates

    In the population register of Manchester (Gb); student, born 1913 in Manchester (Gb).

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Veronica Jane Oates

    Died 1973 in Utrecht; born 1955 in New Castle.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Elizabeth Sutton Oates

    In the population register of Warnsveld; born 1853.

    Open Archives, Regionaal archief Zutphen (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Oates in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Ireland2 records

2 records of the Oates name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Oates

    Died 1973; buried at Eskerstephens, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patrick Oates

    Died 1961; buried at Eskerstephens, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Oates.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Oates is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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