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Lam Family History

Lam Surname Meaning

Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 林 see Lin. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 藍 meaning ‘blue’. See Lan.

Vietnamese (Lâm): from the Chinese surname 林 see Lin 1 compare 1 above. Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 藍 see Lan.

Dutch and North German: from a short form of the personal name Lambert. Dutch: topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a lam ‘lamb’.

Danish: nickname for a gentle person from Old Norse lamb ‘lamb’ or possibly for a lame man from Old Norse lami.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Lam family from?

You can see how Lam families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lam family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lam families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 91 Lam families living in British Columbia. This was about 55% of all the recorded Lam's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Lam families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lam 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 Lam ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Lam. 36% of Lam men worked as a Labourer and 100% of Lam women worked as a Servant.

View Census Data for Lam | 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
    36%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Cook
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Servant
    100%

What Lam family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Lam. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lam census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Lam

Passenger Lists

There are 56,000 immigration records available for the last name Lam. 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 Lam immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Lam. For the veterans among your Lam ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lam military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lam family history

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What is the average Lam lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Lam life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1967. The average life expectancy for Lam in 1945 was 32, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lam

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lam ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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