XRD and residual surface stress (sin(2) psi) measurements were carried out on YB2Cu3Ox, superconductors with varying oxygen stoichiometry (6.3 < x < 7.0). Slopes of the surface strain versus sin(2) psi were plotted against oxygen content for certain reflections. Compressional surface stress has been found along the c-axis, while a tensile surface stress has been observed along the ab-plane. Both surface stresses were found to vary slightly with oxygen content. These findings qualitatively agree with a very small hydrostatic pressure effect on T-c for fully oxygenated YBa2Cu3Ox (x = 7) compared to oxygen deficient material at the surface. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.