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Sellman Family History

Sellman Surname Meaning

English: variant of Selman. Americanized form of German Sellmann: variant of Selbmann a nickname for an independent and headstrong person from Middle High German selp selb ‘self’ + man ‘man’.

Americanized form of German Sellmann: habitational name for someone from any of the places called Sellen for instance one near Münster in Westphalia.

Americanized form of South German Sellmann: occupational name for a middleman in a land or property sale or for a guardian from Middle High German sale ‘property transfer’.

Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Selman.

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


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Where is the Sellman family from?

You can see how Sellman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sellman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sellman families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 62 Sellman families living in Sussex. This was about 24% of all the recorded Sellman's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Sellman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sellman 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 Sellman ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Sellman. 34% of Sellman men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Sellman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sellman were Builders Carpenter And Joiner and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Sellman | 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

  • General Labourer
    34%
  • Gardener
    23%
  • Carpenter joiner
    23%
  • Builders Carpenter And Joiner
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • House Duties
    3%
  • Caf Manageress
    3%
  • Household Duties
    3%

What Sellman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Sellman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sellman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sellman

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Sellman. For the veterans among your Sellman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sellman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sellman family history

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What is the average Sellman lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Sellman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Sellman in 1955 was 49, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sellman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sellman 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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