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Balaam Family History

Balaam Surname Meaning

English:: habitational name from Baylham (Suffolk). The form of the surname has been assimilated by folk etymology to the Biblical personal name Balaam (Numbers 23–24). The placename is actually from Old English bēgel ‘bend’ + hamm ‘land in a river-bend riverside meadow’ or hām ‘estate’.

(of Norman origin): habitational name from Ballon in Le Mans (Sarthe France). The Norman family called de Ballon had lands and interests in south Wales, Cornwall, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.

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


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Where is the Balaam family from?

You can see how Balaam families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Balaam family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Balaam families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 190 Balaam families living in Suffolk. This was about 36% of all the recorded Balaam's in United Kingdom. Suffolk had the highest population of Balaam families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Balaam 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 Balaam ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Balaam. 18% of Balaam men worked as a General Labourer and 82% of Balaam women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Balaam were Carpenter and Unpaid Domestic Dutie.

View Census Data for Balaam | 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

  • General Labourer
    18%
  • Farm Labourer
    11%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%
  • Carpenter
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    2%

What Balaam family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Balaam. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Balaam census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Balaam

Passenger Lists

There are 596 immigration records available for the last name Balaam. 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 Balaam immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 686 military records available for the last name Balaam. For the veterans among your Balaam ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Balaam military records

You've only scratched the surface of Balaam family history

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What is the average Balaam lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Balaam life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Balaam in 1959 was 58, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Balaam

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Balaam 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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