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Othen Family History

Othen Surname Meaning

From a Middle English personal name Othin Odin attested in the forename of Odin Goldeberd 1327 Othynus Guldebort 1332 in Subsidy Rolls (Rodmell Sussex). It probably represents Anglo-Scandinavian Oðin or Ōðin, Old Scandinavian Auðunn or Auðin, Øthin, Odhin, Ǿthæn (of uncertain interpretation).

Its appearance in 14th-century Sussex is unexpected, being so far from the ‘Scandinavian’ counties of Yorks, Lincs, and Norfolk where the name is evidenced in place-names before the Norman Conquest and as a given name thereafter until the 12th century. Normans in those counties apparently treated it as an English pronunciation of one of their own names, Old French Odin (or O(u)en), though it has a different origin (see Odden).

As such, it may have survived much longer as a traditional given name in one or more Anglo-Norman families who held lands in and beyond the former Danelaw counties. In Hants and W Sussex, it may have been confused with both Odden and Outen.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Othen family from?

You can see how Othen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Othen family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Othen families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 114 Othen families living in Hampshire. This was about 75% of all the recorded Othen's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Othen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Othen 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 Othen 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 Othen. 34% of Othen men worked as a General Labourer and 89% of Othen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Othen were Bricklayer and Un Paid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Othen | 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
    34%
  • Carpenter
    25%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    25%
  • Bricklayer
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Domestic Service
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Un Paid Domestic Duties
    3%

What Othen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Othen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Othen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 420 immigration records available for the last name Othen. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 433 military records available for the last name Othen. For the veterans among your Othen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Othen lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2004, in the United States, Othen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1966, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Othen in 1966 was 66, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Othen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Othen 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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