The Abrams surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 25,534 people carried this name — #1,387 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 11,500 people counted. That is up 2% from 24,961 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Abrams surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Abrams» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Abraham’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: John Abraam, Bedfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Abraham, Abrahams, Abrahamson, Abram and Abrams.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 38 · public domain.

In Belgium’s population register

At least 72 people named Abrams live in Belgium.

Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Flemish Brabant.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Flemish Brabant 16
Antwerp 15
Limburg 15
Walloon Brabant 14
Liège 12

Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

75 families named Abrams, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 406 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 4 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

New York 35
Pennsylvania 17
Massachusetts 10
South Carolina 4
North Carolina 3
Maryland 2
Maine 1
New Hampshire 1
Connecticut 1
Virginia 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 227 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Abrams in American newspapers,
1891–1912.

Newspaper page from Missouri Valley Times carrying the name Abrams
Missouri Valley Times 1912-05-23
Newspaper page from The Semi-weekly Leader carrying the name Abrams
The Semi-weekly Leader 1906-11-03
Newspaper page from San Antonio Daily Light carrying the name Abrams
San Antonio Daily Light 1891-01-27

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,789 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Abrams in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

3,800 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Abrams. The most, 940, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 1,952
Victoria 1,082
Tasmania 244
Queensland 212
South Australia 193
ACT (Canberra) 50
Western Australia 50
Northern Territory 1

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Abrams.

Who carried it

People named Abrams,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Harriett Abrams
    Harriett Abrams 1758–1821 · composer
  • Harriett Abrams
    Harriett Abrams 1758–1821 · composer
  • Al Abrams d. 2015 · spokesperson
  • Mike Abrams d. 1898
  • Willem Abrams 1700–1800 · painter
  • Theodosia Abrams 1769–1849 · opera singer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Abrams,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,770 records

4,770 records of the Abrams name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 2,423
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,052
  • Other U.S. records 1,295
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Allen C. Abrams

    Born 1915 in Virginia. Enlisted 1942 at New York City; dentist from Bronx County, New York. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Anna Abrams

    Arrived at New York in 1896 aboard the Halle from Bremen, aged 17; seamstress. From Passaic, Russia; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Timothy C. Abrams

    Born 1946; from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. U.S. Army, radio teletype operator; died in an accident 1967 in South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 4,770 records for Abrams in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Netherlands1,389 records

1,389 records of the Abrams name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 923
  • Dutch population registers 234
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 232
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Geertrui Cornelis Abrams

    Married in 1813 in Zeeland; born 1790 in Zeeland. Died 1818 in Zeeland.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Frederik Willem Abrams

    Married in 1933 in Amsterdam. Died 1941 in Utrecht, aged 48.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Elisabeth Abrams

    Born 1835 in Nijmegen. Died 1898 in Nijmegen, aged 62.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,389 records for Abrams in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Australia80 records

80 records of the Abrams name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 40
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 15
  • Other Australian records 25
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Charles Abrams

    Died 1922 in St Margarets Hospital, Launceston, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1922.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Wm A. Abrams

    Arrived in Victoria in 1889 aboard the Oroya, aged 30; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Robert Abrams

    Arrived in Queensland in 1873 aboard the Gloucester, aged 33.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 80 records for Abrams in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada24 records

24 records of the Abrams name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 7
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 6
  • Other Canadian records 11
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Sidney Herbert Abrams

    Buried in 1985 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 92.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Bernhard Abrams

    Died 1992; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Francis Abrams

    Died 1961 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 24 records for Abrams in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Germany9 records

9 records of the Abrams name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Jakob Abrams

    From Schilleningken, Memel. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 25 May 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Erwin Abrams

    From Montauer Weide, Stuhm. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 20 October 1915.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Hermann Abrams

    From Alt Terranova. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 16 January 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Abrams in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France5 records

5 records of the Abrams name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Karina Valentine Abrams

    Born 1910 in Russia; died 1993 in Champcueil (Essonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Ronald Abrams

    Born 1956 in the United States; died 1993 in Dijon (Côte-d'Or).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Abrams in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand3 records

3 records of the Abrams name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Horace William Abrams

    Died 1981, aged 85; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Henry Abrams

    Died 1947, aged 76; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Abrams in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom2 records

2 records of the Abrams name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Abrams

    Rifle Brigade. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Abrams

    South Lancashire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Abrams.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Abrams is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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