The Emerson surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 30,702 people carried this name — #1,145 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,610 people counted. That is up 2% from 30,028 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Emerson surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Emery + -son.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Emerson» (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 Emery’.

An early record he cites: John fil. Emerici, c. 1300 — Writs of Parliament. Fil. is Latin for “son of”.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 274 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 18 births for the Emerson name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 800 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “7 in Down and 4 in Antrim.”

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

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 13
Leinster 4
Munster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

20 people named Emerson live in Switzerland.

They live in 3 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Aargau.

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

Where they live today

Aargau 9
Zurich 6
Vaud 5

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Emerson was found among the farmers of 6 counties.

It was most frequent in Durham: 28 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 357. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Emmerson and Emerson.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Durham 28
Lincolnshire 20
Essex 12
Nottinghamshire 12
Northumberland 11
Yorkshire, North and East Ridings 9

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

207 families named Emerson, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,198 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 6 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 Hampshire 75
Massachusetts 64
Maine 19
Vermont 13
Connecticut 8
Maryland 8
Virginia 8
North Carolina 5
New York 3
Pennsylvania 3
Rhode Island 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. 239 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Emerson in American newspapers,
1901–1923.

Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name Emerson
The Portland Daily Press 1902-09-05
Newspaper page from Rawlins Republican carrying the name Emerson
Rawlins Republican 1923-03-29
Newspaper page from Rawlins Republican carrying the name Emerson
Rawlins Republican 1901-10-12

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 16,718 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Emerson in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

24,700 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Emerson. The most, 3,683, date from the 1870s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 6,833
New South Wales 6,176
Queensland 5,319
South Australia 5,062
Western Australia 555
Tasmania 512
ACT (Canberra) 176
Northern Territory 12

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

Who carried it

People named Emerson,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Emerson
    John Emerson 1670–1732
  • Alice Fernald Emerson d. 1941 · writer
  • William Emerson d. 1997 · librarian
  • Martha Maria Emerson d. 1863
  • Alexander Emerson d. 1791
  • Florence E. Emerson d. 1944

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 Emerson,
in the records of 7 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 States2,601 records

2,601 records of the Emerson name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,043
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 519
  • Other U.S. records 1,039
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Tom Emerson

    Born 1944; from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. U.S. Army, armored reconnaissance unit commander; killed in action 1969 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Us Military Academy Cemetery, West Point, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Asa A. Emerson

    Born 1921 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1941 at Springfield; printing worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at Hillcrest Park Cemetery, Springfield, Massachusetts.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the State of Nebraska from Glasgow and Larne, aged 27; domestic. From Belfast, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,601 records for Emerson in the United States.

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

Australia512 records

512 records of the Emerson name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 215
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 141
  • Other Australian records 156
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Emerson

    Died 1867 in Longford, Tasmania, aged 60. Will registered in Tasmania in 1867.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Joseph Emerson

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Lloyds, arriving 1833; ticket of leave 1847.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Elizabeth Emerson

    Arrived in Victoria in 1858 aboard the Royal Charter, aged 60; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 512 records for Emerson 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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada107 records

107 records of the Emerson name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 54
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 17
  • Other Canadian records 36
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Helen Louise Emerson

    Buried in 1948 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 85.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sarah Emerson

    Died 1874 in Pugwash, Cumberland, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Lorne Auley Emerson

    Died in service in 1952.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 107 records for Emerson in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · 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 Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · 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); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

New Zealand25 records

25 records of the Emerson name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 23
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Esther Emerson

    Died 1881, aged 19; buried at Addington Cemetery, 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 Ernest Emerson

    Died 1985, aged 74; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Allan Howard Emerson

    Died 1936, aged 49; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 25 records for Emerson in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District 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 Kingdom18 records

18 records of the Emerson name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 9
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  • Other British records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Emerson

    Buried in 1908 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 45.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Catherine Alice Mary Emerson

    Will proved in 1935; of Bath, (Somerset).

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record John Emerson

    Died 1914. Named in the roll of honour (1926).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 18 records for Emerson in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands13 records

13 records of the Emerson name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 6
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 5
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 2
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Charles Edward Emerson

    Died 1951 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 57.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Frederick Percy Emerson

    Married in 1945 in Zeist.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Ida Anna Emerson

    In the population register of Heemstede; born 1866 in Beeston (Nottinghamshire).

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Emerson in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France1 record

1 record of the Emerson 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 James Emerson

    Born 1925 in Great Britain; died 1997 in Béziers (Hérault).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Emerson.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Emerson 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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