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Osborne Family History

Osborne Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English personal name Osbern partly from late Old English Ōsbern an Anglicized form of Old Norse Ásbiǫrn (from áss ‘god’ + biǫrn ‘bear’) but more usually from Norman use of the cognate ancient Germanic Ōsbern. Osbern was often treated as an alternative form of Osbert. For pet forms see Hoskin and Opie . The surname has also been established in Ireland (Waterford Tipperary) since the mid 16th century.

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


Similar surnames: Osmond, Ogborn, Osbourne, Odiorne, Osborn, Borne, Stone, Byrne, Borns

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Where is the Osborne family from?

You can see how Osborne families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Osborne family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Osborne families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 52 Osborne families living in New York. This was about 18% of all the recorded Osborne's in USA. New York had the highest population of Osborne families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Osborne surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Osborne ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Osborne. 15% of Osborne men worked as a Laborer and 7% of Osborne women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Osborne were Truck Driver and Maid. .

View Census Data for Osborne | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    15%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    7%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Maid
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Osborne family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 542,000 census records available for the last name Osborne. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Osborne census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Osborne

Passenger Lists

There are 77,000 immigration records available for the last name Osborne. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 80,000 military records available for the last name Osborne. For the veterans among your Osborne ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Osborne family history

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What is the average Osborne lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Osborne life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Osborne in 1940 was 46, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Osborne

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Osborne 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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