NameCensus.

UK surname

Oakman

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived or worked near an oak tree.

In the 1881 census there were 212 people recorded with the Oakman surname, ranking it #12,373 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 431, ranked #11,170, up from #12,373 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Enfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, Hastings and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oakman is 459 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 103.3%.

1881 census count

212

Ranked #12,373

Modern count

431

2016, ranked #11,170

Peak year

2010

459 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oakman had 212 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,373 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016, ranked #11,170.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 387 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Oakman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oakman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oakman 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 112 #15,913
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 212 #12,373
1891 historical 287 #11,473
1901 historical 349 #10,457
1911 historical 387 #9,511
1997 modern 436 #10,327
1998 modern 456 #10,295
1999 modern 458 #10,325
2000 modern 434 #10,730
2001 modern 431 #10,606
2002 modern 455 #10,349
2003 modern 445 #10,376
2004 modern 438 #10,532
2005 modern 421 #10,762
2006 modern 430 #10,624
2007 modern 442 #10,495
2008 modern 440 #10,622
2009 modern 449 #10,690
2010 modern 459 #10,739
2011 modern 453 #10,732
2012 modern 442 #10,812
2013 modern 441 #11,016
2014 modern 444 #11,021
2015 modern 424 #11,364
2016 modern 431 #11,170

Geography

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Where Oakmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Enfield, Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict and Foxton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, Hastings, Braintree, Wiltshire and East Cambridgeshire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Enfield Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire
5 Foxton Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 018 South Cambridgeshire
2 Hastings 005 Hastings
3 Braintree 016 Braintree
4 Wiltshire 020 Wiltshire
5 East Cambridgeshire 005 East Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oakman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oakman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Oakman, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Oakman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Oakman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Oakman 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

Oakman is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Oakman falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Oakman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Oakman

The surname Oakman is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from residence near a prominent oak tree or in an area known for its abundance of oak trees. The name's earliest recorded spelling was Ockman, found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

One of the earliest bearers of the name was John Okeman, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. The Oakman surname is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Berkshire in 1273, where it appears as Okeman. This indicates that the name was well-established in various regions of England by the 13th and 14th centuries.

The name Oakman has been linked to several place names in England, such as Oakham in Rutland and Oakley in Buckinghamshire. These place names are derived from the Old English words "ac" or "ac-lea," meaning oak tree or oak clearing, respectively. The Oakman surname likely originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived near or in an area associated with these oak-related place names.

In the 16th century, notable bearers of the Oakman surname included Robert Oakman, who was recorded in the Feet of Fines for Staffordshire in 1554, and John Oakman, mentioned in the Wills Records of Canterbury in 1584.

During the 17th century, the Oakman surname appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1619, where a Thomas Oakman was listed. Another individual, William Oakman, was recorded in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1672.

In the 18th century, a prominent bearer of the Oakman name was John Oakman (1748-1793), an English printer and bookseller from London. He is known for publishing works by notable authors such as Samuel Johnson and Oliver Goldsmith.

The 19th century saw the birth of William Andrews Oakman (1830-1904), a British architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Throughout its history, the Oakman surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of its bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oakman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oakman 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. Middlesex leads with 71 Oakmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.43x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 71 3.43x
Cambridgeshire 51 38.93x
Hertfordshire 28 19.64x
Essex 22 5.39x
Sussex 16 4.59x
Surrey 8 0.79x
Durham 6 0.98x
Lanarkshire 4 0.60x
Lancashire 4 0.16x
Devon 1 0.23x
Kent 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Giles Cambridge in Cambridgeshire leads with 20 Oakmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1183.43x.

Place Total Index
St Giles Cambridge 20 1183.43x
Enfield 14 103.17x
Hackney London 11 9.49x
Kensington London 10 8.70x
Chipping Barnet 9 361.45x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 9 157.62x
Hastings St Leonards 9 175.44x
St Pancras London 9 5.41x
Theydon Bois 8 1290.32x
Hornsey 7 26.77x
St Andrewthe Less 7 46.76x
Bow London 6 22.79x
Broxbourne 6 212.01x
Foxton 6 2000.00x
Loughton 6 297.03x
Seaham 6 267.86x
Bethnal Green London 5 5.57x
Eastbourne 5 31.17x
Standon 5 340.14x
Therfield 5 602.41x
Tottenham 5 15.18x
West Ham 5 5.55x
Battersea 4 5.26x
Manchester 4 3.62x
Soham 4 141.84x
Wimbledon 4 35.37x
Chesterton 3 74.26x
Islington London 3 1.50x
Royston 3 247.93x
Barony 2 1.18x
Govan 2 1.21x
Bromley London 1 2.20x
East Grinstead 1 20.24x
Erith 1 14.39x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 13.44x
Roydon 1 166.67x
Sampford Peverell 1 217.39x
Shepreth 1 384.62x
St Clement Cambridge 1 185.19x
Widdington 1 370.37x
Woodford 1 21.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 9
Mary 9
Sarah 8
Susan 8
Elizabeth 7
Ellen 7
Ann 5
Florence 4
Annie 2
Emily 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Jane 2
Jessie 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Matilda 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Althia 1
Bettey 1
Dorothey 1
Edith 1
Eleano 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
H. 1
Harriet 1
J.E. 1
K. 1
Kate 1
Katherne 1
Laure 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
M.A. 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
May 1
Rebecca 1
Rosey 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
Thomas 11
James 9
George 7
Joseph 6
Edward 5
Henry 5
David 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Harry 3
John 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Frederick 2
Nathan 2
Peter 2
Walter 2
Alfd. 1
Allan 1
Benjamin 1
Chas.Paul 1
Chas.W. 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
Emma 1
Ephriam 1
Hy. 1
Jack 1
Jeremiah 1
Matthew 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1
Sam 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Oakman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oakman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 212 people were recorded with the Oakman surname. That placed it at #12,373 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oakman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016. That gives Oakman a modern rank of #11,170.

What does the Oakman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived or worked near an oak tree.

What does the Oakman map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Oakman 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.