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Besse Family History

Besse Surname Meaning

French: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood from Occitan bès ‘birch tree’.

It can also be a habitational name from (La) Besse, the name of several places mainly in southern France.

These places are named from the same word, which ultimately comes from Gaulish betu.

In essence, the name reflects a connection to the natural landscape, specifically birch trees.

This etymology highlights the cultural significance of trees in naming conventions in French-speaking regions.

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


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Where is the Besse family from?

You can see how Besse families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Besse family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Besse families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 20 Besse families living in Monmouthshire. This was about 23% of all the recorded Besse's in United Kingdom. Monmouthshire had the highest population of Besse families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Besse 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 Besse ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Sheet Mill Worker and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Besse. 100% of Besse men worked as a Sheet Mill Worker and 100% of Besse women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Besse | 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

  • Sheet Mill Worker
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Besse family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Besse. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Besse census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Besse

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Besse. 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 Besse immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Besse. For the veterans among your Besse ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Besse military records

You've only scratched the surface of Besse family history

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What is the average Besse lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Besse life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Besse in 1950 was 73, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Besse

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Besse ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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