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Jessel Family History

Jessel Name Meaning

German: derivative of Jesse . English: perhaps a variant of Chessell with voicing of initial /ʧ/ to /ʤ/ spelled J-. This is a habitational name either from Chesthill a lost place in Moreton Say and Stoke upon Tern (Shropshire) or from Chessell Freshwater (Isle of Wight). Both placenames are spelled as Chesthull in medieval records but the Shropshire name is thought to refer to a hill (Old English hyll) where parish boundaries were disputed (the first element is Old English ceast ‘strife contention’) whereas the Isle of Wight name refers to a hill where burial chests or coffins were found (the first element is Old English cest ‘chest’) probably referring to the 6th-century pagan cemetery on Chessell Down. French: diminutive of Jesse . Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Yiddish Yossel Yessell a pet form of the personal name Josef (see Joseph ).

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


Similar surnames: Jesse, Jesser, Hessel, Ressel, Gessel, Kessel, Wessel, Kessen, Fessel

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Where is the Jessel family from?

You can see how Jessel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Jessel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Jessel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 11 Jessel families living in London. This was about 42% of all the recorded Jessel's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Jessel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Jessel 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 Jessel ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Jessel. 67% of Jessel women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. .

View Census Data for Jessel | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Private Means
    24%
  • Domestic Duties
    10%
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What Jessel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Jessel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Jessel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Jessel

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Jessel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 758 military records available for the last name Jessel. For the veterans among your Jessel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Jessel lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Jessel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Jessel in 1950 was 45, and 90 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Jessel

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