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Emma Family History

Emma Name Meaning

Italian (Sicily): from the female personal name Emma of ancient Germanic origin (see Imm ).

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


Similar surnames: Emm, Demma, Emmi, Gemma, Lemma, Alma, Femia, Lemme, Imm, Emme

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 Emma family from?

You can see how Emma families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Emma family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Emma families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there was 1 Emma family living in Missouri. This was about 33% of all the recorded Emma's in USA. Missouri and 2 other states had the highest population of Emma families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Emma 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 Emma ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Emma. 21% of Emma men worked as a Laborer and 10% of Emma women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Emma were Salesman and Operator. .

View Census Data for Emma | 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
    21%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Clerk
    8%
  • Salesman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    10%
  • Housekeeper
    8%
  • Maid
    8%
  • Operator
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Emma family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 31,000 census records available for the last name Emma. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Emma census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Emma

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Emma. 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 Emma immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Emma military records

You've only scratched the surface of Emma family history

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What is the average Emma lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Emma life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1969. The average life expectancy for Emma in 1958 was 55, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Emma

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Emma family tree

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