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Esau Family History

Esau Name Meaning

English: from the Biblical personal name Esau deriving from a word meaning ‘hairy’ in Hebrew. This was adopted as a personal name among Nonconformists in the 17th century hence the surname especially in south Wales. Esau was the elder twin brother of Jacob who supplanted him (Genesis 225) and became the ancestral patriarch of the Israelites.

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


Similar surnames: Saul, Thau, Bau, Pau, Besaw, Grau, Isa, Cesar, Sas, Esmay

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 Esau family from?

You can see how Esau families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Esau family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Esau families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 Esau family living in Pennsylvania. This was 100% of all the recorded Esau's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Esau families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Esau surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Esau ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Esau. 26% of Esau men worked as a Laborer and 30% of Esau women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Esau were Painter and Laundress. .

View Census Data for Esau | 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
    26%
  • Farmer
    24%
  • Farming
    10%
  • Painter
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    30%
  • Housewife
    30%
  • Sales Lady
    20%
  • Laundress
    20%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Esau family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Esau. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Esau census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Esau

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Esau. 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 Esau immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Esau. For the veterans among your Esau ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Esau military records

You've only scratched the surface of Esau family history

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What is the average Esau lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Esau life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1967, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Esau in 1962 was 67, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Esau

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Esau family tree

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