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Oyen Family History

Oyen Surname Meaning

Norwegian (Øyen): habitational name from any of various farmsteads named Øyen Øien from the definite singular form of øy ‘island’ also ‘meadow by water’. Flemish and Dutch: habitational name from any of various places called Oijen in Noord-Brabant and Limburg.

In North America, this surname may also be an altered form of the Dutch variant Oijen. Dutch, North German, and East Frisian: topographic name for someone who lived by a water meadow Middle Dutch ooye, oye, Low German, Frisian oje, oye.

This surname is very rare in East Frisia.

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


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Where is the Oyen family from?

You can see how Oyen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oyen family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Oyen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 5 Oyen families living in London. This was about 71% of all the recorded Oyen's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Oyen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oyen 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 Oyen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Sales Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Oyen. 30% of Oyen men worked as a Farmer and 17% of Oyen women worked as a Sales Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Oyen were Baker and Stenographer.

View Census Data for Oyen | 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
    30%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Carpenter
    18%
  • Baker
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Sales Clerk
    17%
  • Teacher
    17%
  • Stenograph At Iron Chain
    17%
  • Stenographer
    17%

What Oyen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Oyen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Oyen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Oyen

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Oyen. 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 Oyen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 532 military records available for the last name Oyen. For the veterans among your Oyen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Oyen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Oyen family history

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What is the average Oyen lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Oyen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Oyen in 1956 was 52, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oyen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Oyen 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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