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Whissell Family History

Whissell Surname Meaning

For someone who played a pipe or flute from Middle English whistle ‘pipe flute’. Compare Whistler and Johannes Whistiltirour ‘whistle puller (as if pulling at tough meat)’ 1438 in York Freemen's Register.

Perhaps sometimes a nickname from Middle English whit soul sal ‘white soul’ perhaps for someone perceived to be highly moral.

It is not clear whether this is really a source of the modern surname. Compare Godsal.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Whissell family from?

You can see how Whissell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Whissell family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1891 and 1920. The most Whissell families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there were 6 Whissell families living in Suffolk. This was about 32% of all the recorded Whissell's in United Kingdom. Suffolk had the highest population of Whissell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Whissell 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 Whissell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Whissell. 60% of Whissell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Whissell | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    60%
  • Household Duties (unpaid)
    40%

What Whissell family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Whissell

Passenger Lists

There are 73 immigration records available for the last name Whissell. 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 Whissell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 23 military records available for the last name Whissell. For the veterans among your Whissell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Whissell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Whissell family history

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What is the average Whissell lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2001, in the United States, Whissell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Whissell in 1965 was 82, and 78 in 2001.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Whissell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Whissell 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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