Daily AncestorOA
OA in the 1910 and 1920 census means own account: the person worked for himself or herself and was not an employer or employee.
The 1910 and 1920 censuses asked whether each worker was an employer, a wage earner or working on his own account. Enumerators wrote Emp (Em in 1920), W or OA. OA meant a gainful worker who was neither employer nor employee, such as a farmer working alone or a self-employed tradesman.
OA plus an occupation like farmer suggests a family-run farm, which can lead you to land and tax records.
As seen in a recordOccupation columns of the 1910 census
Farmer, General farm, OA
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "OA." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/abbreviations/census-oa. Last checked 2026-10-01.