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Bessell Family History

Bessell Surname Meaning

English (Gloucestershire): from the Middle English personal name Besel(le) which is of uncertain, probably ancient Germanic origin.

German: variant of Bessel and in North America (also) an altered form of this.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Bessell family from?

You can see how Bessell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bessell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bessell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 181 Bessell families living in Gloucestershire. This was about 35% of all the recorded Bessell's in United Kingdom. Gloucestershire had the highest population of Bessell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bessell 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 Bessell 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 Bessell. 28% of Bessell men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Bessell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bessell were Motor Drivers (heavy Work and Unpaid Domestic Dut.

View Census Data for Bessell | 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
    28%
  • Builders Labourer
    17%
  • Omnibus Cleaner
    12%
  • Motor Drivers (heavy Work
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    4%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    3%

What Bessell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Bessell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bessell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bessell

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Bessell. 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 Bessell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Bessell. For the veterans among your Bessell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bessell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bessell family history

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What is the average Bessell lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Bessell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Bessell in 1948 was 50, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bessell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bessell 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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