Origins Available: English-Alt,
English
The distinguished surname Oaten emerged among the industrious people of
Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the
Flemish and English nations, many
Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same
personal name. One of the most common classes of surname is the
patronymic surname, which was usually derived from the first name of the person's father.
Flemish surnames of this type are often characterized by the diminutive suffix
-kin, which became very frequent in
England during the 14th century. The surname Oaten is derived from the Old French personal names
Odes, Otes, Odon, and
Otton. These are all derived from the Old German names
Odo and
Otto, which literally mean
riches. Occasionally, the name Oaten is a
local surname derived from the settlement of Ott in Belgium.
Early Origins of the Oaten family
The surname Oaten was first found in
Cornwall where they held a
family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.
Early History of the Oaten family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Oaten research.
Another 313 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1160, 1177, 1213, 1275, 1275, 1649 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Oaten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Oaten Spelling Variations
Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of
spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the
Flemish settlers in
England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of
Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Oates, Oats, Otes, Otis, Oaten, Otten, Oadt, Otton, Oton and many more.
Early Notables of the Oaten family (pre 1700)
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Oaten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Oaten family to Ireland
Some of the Oaten family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Oaten family to the New World and Oceana
An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Oaten:
Oaten Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Abram Oaten, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1773 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)