Show ContentsAbrahams History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Abrahams Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Abrahams

What does the name Abrahams mean?

The chronicle of the name Abrahams begins with a family in the Pictish clans of ancient Scotland. The name is derived from the name Abraham. The name means chief (or father) of a multitude and exalted father.

Early Origins of the Abrahams family

The surname Abrahams was first found in Balfeth, in Scotland, in 1163, where Adam Abraham, Bishop of Dunblain, held extensive lands. Further south in Lancashire, the township of Abram was home to another branch of the family. "This township was originally called Adburgham, and afterwards Abraham, and gave name to an ancient family of landowners, of whom Gilbert de Abram and John Abraham are mentioned in the reigns of Henry IV. and Henry V. There are some ancient seats, among which is Abram Hall, a moated brick mansion existing since the time of Henry VI." 1

Early History of the Abrahams family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abrahams research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1672, 1689 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Abrahams History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abrahams Spelling Variations

When the first dictionaries were invented in the last few hundred years, spelling gradually became standardized. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound. Names were often recorded under different spelling variations every time they were written. Abrahams has been written Abraham, Abram, Abrams, Abrahams and others.

Early Notables of the Abrahams family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Abrahams Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abrahams Ranking

the United States, the name Abrahams is the 12,108th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2 However, in South Africa, the name Abrahams is ranked the 83rd most popular surname with an estimated 57,418 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Abrahams family to Ireland

Some of the Abrahams family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abrahams migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Third Fleet
  • Mr. Henry Abrahams, (b. 1759), aged 28, English settler convicted in Chelmsford, Essex on 7th March 1785, sentenced for 7 years for highway robbery, transported aboard the ship "Alexander" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 4
  • Miss Esther Abrahams, (b. 1769), aged 18, English settler convicted in London on 30th August 1786, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Lady Penrhyn" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 5
Following the Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Abrahams Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Mary Abrahams, British Convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
  • Mr. Henry Abrahams, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Batavia" in October 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
  • Mr. Frederick Abrahams, (b. 1804), aged 16, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 8th April 1821, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
  • Mr. Isaac Abrahams, English Music master who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 20th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
  • Mr. Joseph Abrahams, English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Exmouth" on 3rd March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Abrahams migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Abrahams Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Henry Abrahams, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jura" in 1861 10
  • Solomon Abrahams, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Black Swan" in 1866

Contemporary Notables of the name Abrahams (post 1700) +

  • Owen Lindsay Abrahams (1933-2006), Australian rules footballer
  • Christine Abrahams (1939-1994), Australian art dealer and gallery director
  • Arthur Edward Abrahams, semi-retired Australian race car driver, he won the 1987, 1991 and 1993 Australian Formula 2 Championships
  • Joseph Abrahams (1855-1938), Australian senior rabbi
  • Warren Abrahams (1981-1982), South African born rugby union coach, served as head coach of the Wales women’s national team (2020-2021) and later led Belgium’s women’s sevens programme, first Black national team head coach in Welsh rugby
  • Roger David Abrahams (1933-2017), American folklorist whose work focused on the expressive cultures and cultural histories of the Americas
  • Ruth Abrahams (1931-2000), British artist
  • Shafiek Abrahams (b. 1968), South African cricketer
  • Zaraah Clover Abrahams (b. 1987), English actress and voiceover artist
  • ... (Another 28 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Horace Abrahams, "Tubby" English Lieutenant from London, England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 11
  • Mr. Harry Abrahams (b. 1889), Welsh coal miner from Abertridwr, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 12
  • Mr. Fred Abrahams, South African Labour Corps Soldier, who died aboard the ship "SS Mendi" when she was struck off the coast of the Isle of Wight, England on the 21st February 1917
  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
  4. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/batavia
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/exmouth
  10. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  11. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  12. Universal Colliery Senghenydd 1913 disaster retrieved 21st September 2019, retrieved from http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/deathrolls/SenghenyddDead1913.htm

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