Surname Oates - Meaning and Origin
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Oates: What does the surname Oates mean?
The last name Oates has a few possible origins. It could have derived from an Anglo-Saxon locational name, from either the Old English ‘atte Oates’ which meant ‘at the oat fields’ or ‘atte Aa’ which meant ‘at the streams’. It is also possible that the surname Oates is of French origin and is a variant of the names Oudin and Audine. Oudin is derived from the Old French word ‘odes’, meaning ‘wealth’, while Audine originates from the Old French ‘audin’ also meaning ‘wealth’. Additionally, the name Oates could also be an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ua Maolodhóig, which is derived from the term ‘maolodóg’ or ‘servant of the church’.
The surname Oates is found all over the world, especially in England, Ireland and the United States. In England it is particularly common in the northern parts of the country, particularly Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Lancashire. In Ireland it is primarily found in counties Cork and Kerry, while in the United States it is mainly found in the states of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.
The Oates surname has several distinguished holders including Lloyd Oates, an Australian politician, Jim Oates an American lawyer and minister, and Mary Oates, an Irish-American writer. The surname Oates is also found as part of many place names around the world, including Oates Road in the United Kingdom, Oates Creek in Australia, and Oates Street in the United States.
Order DNA origin analysisOates: Where does the name Oates come from?
The last name Oates is an English-origin surname that is most commonly found in the United States today. It is particularly concentrated in North Carolina, California, Texas, and Florida, and the states with the highest concentrations are North Carolina (7.766 per 100,000 people), California (6.065 per 100,000 people), Texas (3.78 per 100,000 people), and Florida (1.924 per 100,000 people).
Variants of the last name Oates can also be found in other parts of the world like the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and Australia. In Canada, the name is especially prominent in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. The English-speaking provinces of Australia—such as Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland—also have significant concentrations.
The prevalence of the surname Oates in these parts of the world is likely due to immigration from England or Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly the transatlantic voyages taken by many English and Irish people in search of a better life. The Oates surname likely came to the United States through early English settler families.
Ultimately, the popularity and distribution of the last name Oates reflects both historical settlement patterns and current population movements within and outside the United States. It is almost certain that its population will continue to spread and diversify over time.
Variations of the surname Oates
The surname Oates is an English surname of patronymic origin which means "son of Ode" or "son of Oates".
The variant spellings for the surname Oates include Oatess, Oattes, Oatts, Oatess, Otes.
Surnames of the same origin as Oates include the following:
Oad, Oadd, Oade, Oades, Oads, Oadys, Oady, Oake, Oakes, Oakey, Oakeys, Oaky, Oats, Oatts, Oatty, Oatway, Oatys, Od, Odd, Oddie, Odds, Oddy, Odys, Oed, Oedd, Oiddy, Okey, Okeys, Oky, Oat and Oatte.
The Scottish variant of the surname Oates is MacKays, sometimes spelled as McOates or MacOates. This variant is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Aodha.
The surname Oates can also be found in Ireland and is an anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Ó hEaradhaigh, which is derived from the Old Gaelic Ó hAedha, meaning "grandson of Aedha". Variations of this Irish form are O'Hara, O'Heery, O'Heare, O'Harra, and O'Hart.
The Spanish version of the surname Oates is Oatesa.
Finally, the Welsh variation of the surname Oates is Oates or Hote. This variation is derived from the 15th century village name of Hote, which is near the town of Chepstow in Monmouthshire.
Famous people with the name Oates
- Hall & Oates: Daryl Hall and John Oates, American musical duo
- Anne Oates: American renal geneticist
- John Oates: singer, songwriter and guitarist
- Bob Oates: American football player
- Libby Oates: English poet and songwriter
- Susanna Oates: British politician
- Darren Oates: English cricketer
- Jon Oates: English journalist and broadcaster
- Abraham Oates: American soldier
- Pat Oates: Australian Paralympic archer
- Archie Oates: English cricketer
- Chris Oates: English footballer
- David Oates: British motor racing driver
- Mary Oates: American football player
- Shirley Oates: American uterus transplant recipient
- Danny Oates: American football player
- Tom Oates: American sports journalist
- Warren Oates: American actor
- Mason Oates: English professional footballer
- Jodie Oates: Australian softball player