<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-05-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000726514</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ESIO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001234453</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GRADY EDWARD C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>13900 NW SCIENCE PARK DR.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORTLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97229</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-05-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>155000.0</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>459062.2752</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The directly owned Common Stock holdings reflected in Table I of this form includes 2,000 shares acquired under the ESI employee stock purchase plan, 500 shares were acquired on each of August 14, 2015, November 14, 2015, February 14, 2016 and May 14, 2016.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Aric McKinnis, Attorney-in-Fact For: Edward C. Grady</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-05-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2016-05-12
0
0000726514
ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES INC
ESIO
0001234453
GRADY EDWARD C
13900 NW SCIENCE PARK DR.
PORTLAND
OR
97229
1
1
0
0
President & CEO
Common Stock
2016-05-12
4
A
0
155000.0
0.0
A
459062.2752
D
The directly owned Common Stock holdings reflected in Table I of this form includes 2,000 shares acquired under the ESI employee stock purchase plan, 500 shares were acquired on each of August 14, 2015, November 14, 2015, February 14, 2016 and May 14, 2016.
By: Aric McKinnis, Attorney-in-Fact For: Edward C. Grady
2016-05-16