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Besses Family History

Besses 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: Besser, Bessey, Besse, Esses, Bessel, Messer, Kessel, Jesse, Bester

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Besses family from?

You can see how Besses families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Besses family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Besses families were found in USA in 1920. In 1851 there was 1 Besses family living in Aberdeenshire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Besses's in Scotland. Aberdeenshire and 1 other county had the highest population of Besses families in 1851.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Besses 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 Besses ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Packer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Besses. 100% of Besses women worked as a Packer.

View Census Data for Besses | 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 Female Occupations In 1940

  • Packer
    100%

What Besses family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 120 census records available for the last name Besses. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Besses census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Besses

Passenger Lists

There are 32 immigration records available for the last name Besses. 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 Besses immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 19 military records available for the last name Besses. For the veterans among your Besses ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Besses military records

You've only scratched the surface of Besses family history

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What is the average Besses lifespan?

Between 1977 and 1998, in the United States, Besses life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1984, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Besses in 1977 was 74, and 86 in 1998.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Besses

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Besses 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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