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Selm Family History

Selm 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: Helm, Salm, Sell, Seim, Sem, Elm, Kelm, Self, Selk, Selz

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Selm family from?

You can see how Selm families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Selm family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Selm families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 2 Selm families living in Lancashire. This was 100% of all the recorded Selm's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Selm families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Selm 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 Selm ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Trimmer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Selm. 43% of Selm men worked as a Laborer and 25% of Selm women worked as a Trimmer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Selm were Electrician and Packer.

View Census Data for Selm | 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 Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    43%
  • Farmer
    32%
  • Assembler
    16%
  • Electrician
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Trimmer
    25%
  • Servant
    25%
  • Stenographer
    25%
  • Packer
    25%

What Selm family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Selm. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Selm census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Selm

Passenger Lists

There are 274 immigration records available for the last name Selm. 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 Selm immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 431 military records available for the last name Selm. For the veterans among your Selm ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Selm military records

You've only scratched the surface of Selm family history

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What is the average Selm lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Selm life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Selm in 1965 was 79, and 91 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Selm

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Selm 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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