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Olsem Family History

Olsem Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Olsen, Elsen, Osen, Ose, Olney, Oeser, Orem, Olm, Olen, Sem

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Olsem family from?

You can see how Olsem families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Olsem family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1911 and 1920. The most Olsem families were found in USA in 1920. In 1920 there were 2 Olsem families living in Illinois. This was about 40% of all the recorded Olsem's in USA. Illinois and 1 other state had the highest population of Olsem families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Olsem 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 Olsem ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Olsem. 38% of Olsem men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Olsem | 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, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    38%
  • Salesman
    38%
  • Janitor
    25%

What Olsem family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 262 census records available for the last name Olsem. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Olsem census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Olsem

Passenger Lists

There are 85 immigration records available for the last name Olsem. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Olsem immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 65 military records available for the last name Olsem. For the veterans among your Olsem ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Olsem military records

You've only scratched the surface of Olsem family history

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What is the average Olsem lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Olsem life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Olsem in 1959 was 46, and 96 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Olsem

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Olsem 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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