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

Oxford Family History

Oxford Name Meaning

English (southern and central England): habitational name from the city of Oxford. The placename derives from Old English oxa ‘ox’ + ford ‘ford’. Compare Oxenford .

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


Similar surnames: Axford, Offord, Alford, Byford, Elford, Ford, Holford, Lyford

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 Oxford family from?

You can see how Oxford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Oxford family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Oxford families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 9 Oxford families living in Georgia. This was about 17% of all the recorded Oxford's in USA. Georgia had the highest population of Oxford families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Oxford surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Oxford ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Oxford. 28% of Oxford men worked as a Farmer and 11% of Oxford women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Oxford were Salesman and Housework. .

View Census Data for Oxford | 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
    28%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Farm Laborer
    6%
  • Salesman
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    11%
  • Waitress
    10%
  • Housekeeper
    10%
  • Housework
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Oxford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 40,000 census records available for the last name Oxford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Oxford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Oxford

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Oxford. 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 Oxford immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Oxford. For the veterans among your Oxford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Oxford military records

You've only scratched the surface of Oxford family history

Discover More

What is the average Oxford lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Oxford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Oxford in 1947 was 41, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Oxford

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Oxford family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Oxford last name

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