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

Otterman Family History

Otterman Name Meaning

Americanized form of German Ottermann: elaborated form of Otter 1 and a distinguishing form (for the son or follower) of Otter 2 with the addition of Middle High German man ‘man’. Americanized form of German Ottermann: habitational name for someone from a place called Otter near Lüneburg. Jewish (Ashkenazic): elaborated form of Otter 1 with the addition of Yiddish man ‘man’.

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


Similar surnames: Osterman, Kolterman, Batterman, Holterman, Putterman, Ostermann

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 Otterman family from?

You can see how Otterman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Otterman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Otterman families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 4 Otterman families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 80% of all the recorded Otterman's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Otterman families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Otterman surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Otterman ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Otterman. 37% of Otterman men worked as a Farmer and 19% of Otterman women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Otterman were Manager and Maid. .

View Census Data for Otterman | 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

  • Farmer
    37%
  • Painter
    10%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Manager
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    19%
  • Stenographer
    19%
  • Clerk
    14%
  • Maid
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Otterman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Otterman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Otterman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Otterman

Passenger Lists

There are 309 immigration records available for the last name Otterman. 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.

View all Otterman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 528 military records available for the last name Otterman. For the veterans among your Otterman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Otterman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Otterman family history

Discover More

What is the average Otterman lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Otterman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Otterman in 1963 was 84, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Otterman

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Otterman family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Otterman last name

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