NameCensus.

UK surname

Oag

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Oag surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 326, ranked #13,896, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkwall and St.Ola, Wick and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caithness North West, Caithness South and Wick South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oag is 349 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1153.8%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

326

2016, ranked #13,896

Peak year

2010

349 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oag had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 326 in 2016, ranked #13,896.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 213 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Oag surname distribution map

The map shows where the Oag surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Oag surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oag over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 136 #13,892
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 172 #16,663
1901 historical 213 #14,563
1997 modern 280 #14,136
1998 modern 285 #14,351
1999 modern 289 #14,320
2000 modern 309 #13,651
2001 modern 302 #13,668
2002 modern 310 #13,697
2003 modern 300 #13,823
2004 modern 306 #13,720
2005 modern 305 #13,689
2006 modern 307 #13,695
2007 modern 312 #13,674
2008 modern 325 #13,406
2009 modern 331 #13,483
2010 modern 349 #13,280
2011 modern 343 #13,277
2012 modern 313 #14,095
2013 modern 324 #13,961
2014 modern 325 #14,030
2015 modern 324 #13,965
2016 modern 326 #13,896

Geography

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Where Oags are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkwall and St.Ola, Wick, Edinburgh, Nigg and Thurso. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caithness North West, Caithness South, Wick South, Carmarthenshire and Caithness North East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkwall and St.Ola Orkney
2 Wick Caithness
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Nigg Kincardine
5 Thurso Caithness

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caithness North West Highland
2 Caithness South Highland
3 Wick South Highland
4 Carmarthenshire 021 Carmarthenshire
5 Caithness North East Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oag

These lists show first names that appear often with the Oag surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oag

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Oag, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Oag surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Oag household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Oag is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Oag is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Oag falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Oag is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Oag, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Oag families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oag surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Caithness leads with 141 Oags recorded in 1881 and an index of 514.97x.

County Total Index
Caithness 141 514.97x
Midlothian 24 8.96x
Lancashire 13 0.55x
Orkney 8 36.36x
Yorkshire 6 0.30x
Devon 5 1.20x
Durham 2 0.34x
Lanarkshire 2 0.31x
Sutherland 2 13.00x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.54x
East Lothian 1 3.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wick in Caithness leads with 115 Oags recorded in 1881 and an index of 1300.91x.

Place Total Index
Wick 115 1300.91x
Latheron 21 458.52x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 17.63x
Liverpool 7 4.86x
Hipperholme Cum 6 68.89x
Kirkwall St Ola 6 181.82x
Broadwoodwidger 5 1063.83x
North Leith 5 40.32x
Everton 4 5.29x
Thurso 4 93.68x
Gateshead 2 4.49x
Kildonan 2 150.38x
Tottington Lower End 2 17.73x
Birsay Harray 1 62.50x
Canisbay 1 55.56x
Dunbar 1 26.95x
Glasgow 1 0.87x
Govan 1 0.63x
Newhills 1 26.39x
Sandwick 1 121.95x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Oag surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 4
Elizabeth 1
Georgina 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Maggie 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Oag surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
James 4
George 2
Peter 2
William 2
Alexander 1
Hugh 1
Jas.Alexr. 1
John 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Oag households.

FAQ

Oag surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oag surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Oag surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oag surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 326 in 2016. That gives Oag a modern rank of #13,896.

What does the Oag map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Oag bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.