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Osterby Family History

Osterby 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: Oster, Overby, Ostby, Steeby, Sterba, Sterry, Esterly, Ostler, Terry

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Osterby family from?

You can see how Osterby families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Osterby family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Osterby families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 10 Osterby families living in Yorkshire. This was about 77% of all the recorded Osterby's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Osterby families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Osterby 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 Osterby ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Retired were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Osterby. 60% of Osterby men worked as a Salesman and 100% of Osterby women worked as a Retired.

View Census Data for Osterby | 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

  • Salesman
    60%
  • Farmer
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Retired
    100%

What Osterby family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 476 census records available for the last name Osterby. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Osterby census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Osterby

Passenger Lists

There are 266 immigration records available for the last name Osterby. 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 Osterby immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 85 military records available for the last name Osterby. For the veterans among your Osterby ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Osterby military records

You've only scratched the surface of Osterby family history

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What is the average Osterby lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2003, in the United States, Osterby life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1982, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Osterby in 1965 was 72, and 90 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Osterby

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Osterby 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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