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Kessel Family History

Kessel Surname Meaning

Cornish: variant of Kessell. German: from Middle High German keʒʒel ‘kettle cauldron’ hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of copper cooking vessels or alternatively a topographic and habitational name from the same word in the sense ‘(ring-shaped) hollow.

Dutch (mainly Van Kessel): habitational name for someone from any of the places so named in the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Limburg or in the Belgian provinces of Antwerp and Limburg.

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


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Where is the Kessel family from?

You can see how Kessel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kessel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kessel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 43 Kessel families living in Cornwall. This was about 48% of all the recorded Kessel's in United Kingdom. Cornwall had the highest population of Kessel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kessel 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 Kessel ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Tailor and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kessel. 100% of Kessel men worked as a Tailor and 89% of Kessel women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Kessel | 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

  • Tailor
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Milliner
    12%

What Kessel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Kessel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kessel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kessel

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Kessel. 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 Kessel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Kessel. For the veterans among your Kessel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kessel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kessel family history

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What is the average Kessel lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Kessel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Kessel in 1945 was 42, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kessel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kessel 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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