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Adam Family History

Adam Name Meaning

From the Biblical personal name Adam, which was borne, according to Genesis, by the first man. It is the generic Hebrew term for ‘man’, probably from Hebrew adama ‘earth’. Compare the classical Greek legend that Zeus fashioned the first human beings from earth. It was very popular as a personal name among non-Jews throughout Europe in the Middle Ages, and the surname is found in one form or another in most of the countries of Europe. Jews, however, have never used this personal name, except in recent times under Polish and English influence. Among Scottish and Irish bearers it is sometimes a reduced form of McAdam.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Adan, Alam, Adami, Day, Aday, Adams, Adame, Dom, Rada, Adamo

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Adam family from?

You can see how Adam families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Adam family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Adam families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1840 there were 25 Adam families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 29% of all the recorded Adam's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Adam families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Adam surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Adam ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Adam. 18% of Adam men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Adam women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Adam were Farm Laborer and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Adam | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    18%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Farm Laborer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Stenographer
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Adam family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 195,000 census records available for the last name Adam. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Adam census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Adam

Passenger Lists

There are 58,000 immigration records available for the last name Adam. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Adam immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 26,000 military records available for the last name Adam. For the veterans among your Adam ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Adam lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Adam life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Adam in 1942 was 48, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Adam

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