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Chessell Family History

Chessell Surname Meaning

Either from Chesthill, a lost place in Moreton Say and Stoke upon Tern (Shrops), or from Chessell Freshwater (IoW). Both place-names are spelled as Chesthull in medieval records.

The Shrops name is thought to refer to a hill (Old English hyll) where parish boundaries were disputed. The first element is Old English ceast meaning ‘strife contention’.

Whereas the IoW name refers to a hill where burial chests or coffins were found. The first element is Old English cest, meaning ‘chest’.

This probably refers to the 6th-century pagan cemetery on Chessell Down.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Chessell family from?

You can see how Chessell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chessell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Chessell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 110 Chessell families living in Hampshire. This was about 47% of all the recorded Chessell's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Chessell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chessell 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 Chessell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Carpenter joiner and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Chessell. 34% of Chessell men worked as a Carpenter joiner and 85% of Chessell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Chessell were House Painter and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Chessell | 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

  • Carpenter joiner
    34%
  • Dairy Farmer
    34%
  • House Painter
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Household Duties (unpaid)
    4%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

What Chessell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Chessell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chessell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Chessell

Passenger Lists

There are 637 immigration records available for the last name Chessell. 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 Chessell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 304 military records available for the last name Chessell. For the veterans among your Chessell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chessell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chessell family history

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What is the average Chessell lifespan?

Between 1974 and 1987, in the United States, Chessell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1987, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Chessell in 1974 was 63, and 43 in 1987.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chessell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Chessell 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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