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Oldham Family History

Oldham Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire and Cheshire): habitational name from Oldham in Lancashire.

The placename derives from Old English ald ‘old’ + Old Norse holmr ‘island water meadow’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Oldham family from?

You can see how Oldham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oldham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Oldham families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,810 Oldham families living in Lancashire. This was about 32% of all the recorded Oldham's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Oldham families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oldham 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 Oldham ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Oldham. 9% of Oldham men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Oldham women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Oldham were Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Oldham | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Railway Clerk
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Oldham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 135,000 census records available for the last name Oldham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Oldham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Oldham

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Oldham. 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 Oldham immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Oldham. For the veterans among your Oldham ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Oldham military records

You've only scratched the surface of Oldham family history

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What is the average Oldham lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Oldham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Oldham in 1944 was 22, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oldham

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Oldham 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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