Oats Family Crest & Name History

Oats and Oates are two spellings with one history. The name is usually explained as “Son of Odo”.

How the spelling arose

Oats drops the “e” of Oates, a simplification that clerks often made. Census takers and immigration officers often wrote what they heard. Related forms: Otes.

In the records

The 2010 US Census counted 1,230 people named Oats, ranking it number 21,307 among American surnames. Names that sound alike, such as Otis, are easily confused in old records.

Family crest and blazon

Looking for an Oats coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours.

Get the complete Oats report, with a museum-style coat of arms.