History of your Surname
Get access to Oak family records.Start a free trial

Oak Family History

Oak Name Meaning

English: topographic name for someone who lived near an oak tree or in an oak wood from Middle English ok(e) ‘oak tree’. Indian (Maharashtra): Brahmin name of unexplained etymology.

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


Similar surnames: Olk, Tak, Hoar, Way, Mak, Zak, Boak, Rak, Bak, Hoak

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Oak family from?

You can see how Oak families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oak family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Oak families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 56 Oak families living in Sussex. This was about 23% of all the recorded Oak's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Oak families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oak surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Oak 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 Oak. 29% of Oak men worked as a General Labourer and 86% of Oak women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Oak were Window Cleaner and Domestic Duties. .

View Census Data for Oak | 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
    29%
  • Bus Conductor
    15%
  • Builders Labourer
    15%
  • Window Cleaner
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    86%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    5%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Oak family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Oak. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Oak census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Oak

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Oak. For the veterans among your Oak ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Oak military records

You've only scratched the surface of Oak family history

Discover More

What is the average Oak lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Oak life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Oak in 1945 was 28, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oak

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Oak family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Oak last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial