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Adams Family History

Adams Name Meaning

English (very common in England, especially in the south Midlands, and in Wales) and German (especially northwestern Germany): patronymic from the personal name Adam. In the U.S. this form has absorbed many patronymics and other derivatives of Adam in languages other than English. (For forms, see Hanks and Hodges 1988.)

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


Similar surnames: Adami, Adamson, Adam, Adame, Adamo, Abrams, Adames, Damm, Days, Aders

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 Adams family from?

You can see how Adams families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Adams family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Adams families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 906 Adams families living in New York. This was about 14% of all the recorded Adams's in USA. New York had the highest population of Adams families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Adams 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 Adams ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Adams. 16% of Adams men worked as a Laborer and 7% of Adams women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Adams were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Adams | 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
    16%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    7%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Teacher
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Adams family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2 million census records available for the last name Adams. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Adams census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Adams

Passenger Lists

There are 224,000 immigration records available for the last name Adams. 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 Adams immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 490,000 military records available for the last name Adams. For the veterans among your Adams ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Adams family history

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What is the average Adams lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Adams life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Adams in 1940 was 41, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Adams

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Adams 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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