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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-02-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>true</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001710173</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Williams John Edward</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>13900 NW SCIENCE PARK DR.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORTLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97229</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <officerTitle>VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-02-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12231</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>30</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>45900</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-02-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>45900</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">12,231 shares of Issuer common stock were cancelled and disposed of at the effective time of the merger of EAS Equipment, Inc. (&quot;Merger Sub&quot;), a wholly owned subsidiary of MKS Instruments, Inc. (&quot;MKS&quot;), with and into the Issuer (the &quot;Merger&quot;), pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated October 29, 2018, among the Issuer, MKS and Merger Sub (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;) as a result of which Issuer became a wholly owned subsidiary of MKS, in exchange for a cash payment of $30.00 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Restricted stock units representing the right to receive a total of 45,900 shares of Issuer's common stock were assumed by MKS at the effective time of the Merger and converted into restricted stock units representing the right to receive 17,447 shares of MKS's common stock, in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Aric McKinnis, Attorney-in-Fact
For: John E. Williams</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-02-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
