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Elam Family History

Elam Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Elam Grange in Bingley (Yorkshire). It is possible that some instances of the modern surname are from Elham in Kent or a lost place called Elham in Crayford (Kent) but the strong association with Yorkshire militates against this.

Elam Grange probably means ‘river pool’ from Old English ēa ‘river’ + lum(m) ‘pool’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Elam family from?

You can see how Elam families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Elam family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Elam families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 141 Elam families living in Yorkshire. This was about 33% of all the recorded Elam's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Elam families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Elam surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Elam ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Elam. 20% of Elam men worked as an Incapacitated and 76% of Elam women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Elam were Window Cleaner and Shorthand Typist.

View Census Data for Elam | 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 1939

  • Incapacitated
    20%
  • Police Constable
    20%
  • Agricultural Labourer
    20%
  • Window Cleaner
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Shorthand Typist
    3%

What Elam family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 50,000 census records available for the last name Elam. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Elam census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Elam

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Elam. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Elam immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Elam. For the veterans among your Elam ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Elam military records

You've only scratched the surface of Elam family history

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What is the average Elam lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Elam life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Elam in 1944 was 38, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Elam

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Elam ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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