  We report Fe K beta x-ray emission spectroscopy study of local magnetic
moments in various iron based superconductors in their paramagnetic phases.
Local magnetic moments are found in all samples studied: PrFeAsO,
Ba(Fe,Co)2As2, LiFeAs, Fe1+x(Te,Se), and A2Fe4Se5 (A=K, Rb, and Cs). The moment
size varies significantly across different families. Specifically, all iron
pnictides samples have local moments of about 1 $\mu_B$/Fe, while FeTe and
K2Fe4Se5 families have much larger local moments of ~2$\mu_B$/Fe,
~3.3$\mu_B$/Fe, respectively. In addition, we find that neither carrier doping
nor temperature change affects the local moment size.
