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Erasmus Family History

Erasmus Name Meaning

North German Dutch and West Indian (Dutch Caribbean): from the personal name Erasmus Latin form of Greek Erasmos a derivative of erān ‘to love’. Saint Erasmus (died 303) was a bishop of Formiae (modern Formia) in Campania who was martyred under Diocletian; he is numbered among the Fourteen Holy Helpers and is a patron of sailors. However in northern Europe from the 16th century onward the name was more often selected in honor of the great Renaissance Dutch humanist scholar and teacher Erasmus Roterodamus (1469–1536). This surname is also established in South Africa.

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


Similar surnames: Rasmus, Ramus, Asmus, Deramus, Grass, Blasius, Cadmus, Krass, Drass

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Where is the Erasmus family from?

You can see how Erasmus families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Erasmus family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Erasmus families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 8 Erasmus families living in Alberta. This was about 62% of all the recorded Erasmus's in Canada. Alberta had the highest population of Erasmus families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Erasmus surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Erasmus ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Erasmus. 50% of Erasmus men worked as a Labourer. .

View Census Data for Erasmus | 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 1921

  • Labourer
    50%
  • Farmer
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Erasmus family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Erasmus. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Erasmus census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Erasmus

Passenger Lists

There are 811 immigration records available for the last name Erasmus. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Erasmus immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 845 military records available for the last name Erasmus. For the veterans among your Erasmus ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Erasmus military records

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What is the average Erasmus lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Erasmus life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1983, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Erasmus in 1963 was 75, and 89 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Erasmus

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