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Bessenger Family History

Bessenger Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Messenger, Bessinger, Messinger, Hessinger, Bissinger, Bussinger

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bessenger family from?

You can see how Bessenger families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bessenger family name was found in the USA between 1840 and 1920. The most Bessenger families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 Bessenger family living in Ohio. This was 100% of all the recorded Bessenger's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Bessenger families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bessenger surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Bessenger ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Clerk was the top reported job for people in the USA named Bessenger. 50% of Bessenger men worked as a Clerk.

View Census Data for Bessenger | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    50%
  • Salesman
    50%

What Bessenger family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 366 census records available for the last name Bessenger. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bessenger census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bessenger

Passenger Lists

There are 47 immigration records available for the last name Bessenger. 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 Bessenger immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 73 military records available for the last name Bessenger. For the veterans among your Bessenger ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bessenger military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bessenger family history

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What is the average Bessenger lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2003, in the United States, Bessenger life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Bessenger in 1961 was 56, and 94 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bessenger

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bessenger 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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