History of your Surname
Get access to Sell family records.Start a free trial

Sell Family History

Sell Name Meaning

English: from Middle English selle ‘shelter for animals shieling’ (Old English (ge)sell) a rough hut of the type normally occupied by animals hence a topographic name for someone who lived in a hut like this. It may also have been used as a nickname for a herdsman. German: variant of Selle . German: metonymic occupational name from Middle High German sel ‘rope’ for a rope maker. Americanized form of Hungarian Széll: topographic name for someone who lived in a spot exposed to the wind from szél ‘wind’. Americanized form of Jewish (from Hungary) Széll: adoption of Hungarian Széll (see 4 above) either as a calque of the formerly used German-based surname or because the Hungarian surname (or word) has some sounds in common with the original surname.

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


Similar surnames: Bell, Fell, Soll, Pell, Tell, Seal, Selle, Hell, Dell, Kell

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Sell family from?

You can see how Sell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 275 Sell families living in London. This was about 29% of all the recorded Sell's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Sell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Sell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Sell. 16% of Sell men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Sell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sell were Farm Labourer and Domestic Servant. .

View Census Data for Sell | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    16%
  • Gardener
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%
  • Farm Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Sell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 73,000 census records available for the last name Sell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sell

Passenger Lists

There are 27,000 immigration records available for the last name Sell. 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.

View all Sell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Sell. For the veterans among your Sell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sell family history

Discover More

What is the average Sell lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Sell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Sell in 1947 was 37, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sell

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Sell family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Sell last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial