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Kessell Family History

Kessell Surname Meaning

Cornish (Cornwall and Devon): habitational name from one or more of several places in Cornwall whose names derive from Middle Cornish castell kestell ‘castle village tor’ such as Kestle in Saint Columb Minor, Kestle in Egloshayle, and Kestal in Saint Hilary.

Altered form of German or Dutch Kessel.

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


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Where is the Kessell family from?

You can see how Kessell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kessell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kessell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 116 Kessell families living in Cornwall. This was about 45% of all the recorded Kessell's in United Kingdom. Cornwall had the highest population of Kessell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kessell 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 Kessell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Stone Mason and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kessell. 17% of Kessell men worked as a Stone Mason and 84% of Kessell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kessell were Stonemason and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Kessell | 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

  • Stone Mason
    17%
  • Dairy Farmer
    17%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    12%
  • Stonemason
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Housekeeper
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Household Duties
    3%

What Kessell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Kessell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kessell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kessell

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Kessell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kessell family history

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What is the average Kessell lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Kessell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Kessell in 1941 was 44, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kessell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kessell 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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