History of your Surname
Get access to Emerson family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Emerson Family History

Emerson Surname Meaning

English: patronymic meaning ‘son of Emery’ or possibly a variant of Emmeson from the Middle English personal name Emmott + -son with later shortening of the first element (see Emmett ). See Emery and compare Empson .

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


Similar surnames: Everson, Enerson, Merson, Emberson, Emerton, Enderson, Melson

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Emerson family from?

You can see how Emerson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Emerson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Emerson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 192 Emerson families living in New Hampshire. This was about 25% of all the recorded Emerson's in USA. New Hampshire had the highest population of Emerson families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Emerson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Emerson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Emerson. 16% of Emerson men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Emerson women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Emerson were Truck Driver and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Emerson | 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

  • Farmer
    16%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    9%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Stenographer
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Emerson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 199,000 census records available for the last name Emerson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Emerson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Emerson

Passenger Lists

There are 20,000 immigration records available for the last name Emerson. 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 Emerson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 38,000 military records available for the last name Emerson. For the veterans among your Emerson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Emerson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Emerson family history

Discover More

What is the average Emerson lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Emerson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Emerson in 1942 was 48, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Emerson

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Emerson family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Emerson last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial