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Oftedahl Family History

Oftedahl Surname Meaning

Norwegian: variant of Oftedal, a habitational name from farmsteads in Agder and Rogaland named Oftedal or Oltedal.

This name is derived from a river name that has its roots in Old Norse.

The components of the name include ǫlpt, which means ‘swan’, and dalr, meaning ‘valley’.

Thus, the name reflects a geographical feature associated with swans in a valley setting.

Such names often point to the natural landscape that influenced local naming conventions in Norway.

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


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Where is the Oftedahl family from?

You can see how Oftedahl families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oftedahl family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. The most Oftedahl families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 16 Oftedahl families living in Minnesota. This was 100% of all the recorded Oftedahl's in USA. Minnesota had the highest population of Oftedahl families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oftedahl 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 Oftedahl ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Oftedahl. 35% of Oftedahl men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Oftedahl women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Oftedahl were Farm Laborer and Teacher.

View Census Data for Oftedahl | 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
    35%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Butcher
    14%
  • Farm Laborer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    43%
  • Secretary
    29%
  • Teacher
    29%

What Oftedahl family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Oftedahl. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Oftedahl census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Oftedahl

Passenger Lists

There are 450 immigration records available for the last name Oftedahl. 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 Oftedahl immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 296 military records available for the last name Oftedahl. For the veterans among your Oftedahl ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Oftedahl military records

You've only scratched the surface of Oftedahl family history

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What is the average Oftedahl lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Oftedahl life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Oftedahl in 1962 was 45, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oftedahl

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Oftedahl 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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