Show ContentsOtten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Otten surname first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria, some time after the 12th century, when hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules, and names that were derived from locations became particularly common. The family name Otten is a local surname. Originally denoting the proprietorship of an estate or influence within a village, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Otten was given to someone who lived in Bavaria, where the name Otting contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation, and later played a large role in the tribal and national conflicts of the area.

Early Origins of the Otten family

The surname Otten was first found in Bavaria, where the name Otten contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation and later played a large role in the tribal and national conflicts of the area. In later years the name branched into many houses, each playing a significant role in local social and political affairs.

Early History of the Otten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Otten research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1530, 1702, 1782, 1813 and 1817 are included under the topic Early Otten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Otten Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Otten include Otting, Ottingg, Oting, Ottinger, Otingg, Ottyng, Otyng, Ottinng, Otinng, Ottinge, Ottin, Otten, Otin and many more.

Early Notables of the Otten family

Prominent among members of the name Otten in this period include Konrad Öttinger (born Pforzheim, Germany; date and place of death unknown) born in Pforzheim, Germany, a Reformation era German Lutheran pastor, since...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Otten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Otten Ranking

In the United States, the name Otten is the 6,791st most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [1] However, in Netherlands, the name Otten is ranked the 130th most popular surname with an estimated 8,461 people with that name. [2]


United States Otten migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Otten Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Helmerich Otten, who arrived in New York in 1663
  • Helmerich Otten, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1663 [3]
Otten Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Carl Otten, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 [3]
  • Bermud Otten, who settled in New York, NY in 1827
  • Cath Elis Otten, who arrived in America in 1835 [3]
  • Anna Mar Otten, aged 50, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1843 [3]
  • Maria Cath Otten, aged 14, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1843 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Otten migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Otten Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • John Otten, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1858
  • Mr. John Otten, (b. 1840), aged 23, British farm labourer travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lancashire Witch" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 13th October 1863 [4]
  • Mrs. Maria Otten, (b. 1841), aged 22, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Lancashire Witch" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 13th October 1863 [4]

Contemporary Notables of the name Otten (post 1700) +

  • Donald F. Otten (1921-1985), American professional basketball player
  • Leslie B. "Les" Otten (b. 1949), American former CEO of the American Skiing Company
  • Jonny Otten (b. 1961), retired German footballer
  • Katherine Maree "Kate" Otten (b. 1964), South African architect
  • Max Otten (b. 1992), professional Australian rules football player
  • Mark Otten (b. 1985), Dutch professional footballer
  • Andy Otten (b. 1989), Australian rules football player

Bismarck
  • Arnold Otten (1922-1941), German Matrose who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking [5]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  3. 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)
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  5. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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