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Abe Family History

Abe Name Meaning

Japanese: variously written, with Chinese characters used phonetically. Listed in the Shinsen shojiroku, the Abe claim descent from Ohiko, first son of the mythical Emperor Kogen. There are several places in Japan named Abe, which means ‘sun festival’ in the Ainu language. Some Ainu connections may be assumed, but the name could also be purely habitational. It is found mostly in northeastern Japan, the island of Kyushu, and the Ryukyu Islands.

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


Similar surnames: Abu, Aue, Ake, Oba, Abel, Ash, Babe, Aye, Abt, Ard

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Abe family from?

You can see how Abe families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Abe family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Abe families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 21 Abe families living in Missouri. This was about 23% of all the recorded Abe's in USA. Missouri had the highest population of Abe families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Abe 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 Abe ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Helper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Abe. 25% of Abe men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Abe women worked as a Helper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Abe were Proprietor and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Abe | 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
    25%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Proprietor
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Helper
    9%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Laundress
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Abe family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Abe

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Abe. 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 Abe immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Abe. For the veterans among your Abe ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Abe lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Abe life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Abe in 1950 was 44, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Abe

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