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Abel Family History

Abel Surname Meaning

Common European surname: from the personal name Abel, which is of Biblical origin and was used as a Christian name in many countries of Europe. In the Book of Genesis, Abel is a son of Adam, murdered by his brother Cain (Genesis 4:1–8).

In Christian tradition, he is regarded as representative of suffering innocence. The Hebrew form of the name is Hevel, from a vocabulary word meaning ‘breath’.

German: from the personal name Abel, a pet form of Albrecht (see Albert).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Abel family from?

You can see how Abel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Abel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Abel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 376 Abel families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Abel's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Abel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Abel 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 Abel 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 Abel. 13% of Abel men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Abel women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Abel were Farmer and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Abel | 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
    13%
  • Farm Labourer
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Farmer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Household Duties
    2%

What Abel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 133,000 census records available for the last name Abel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Abel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Abel

Passenger Lists

There are 17,000 immigration records available for the last name Abel. 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 Abel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 34,000 military records available for the last name Abel. For the veterans among your Abel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Abel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Abel family history

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What is the average Abel lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Abel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Abel in 1942 was 32, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Abel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Abel 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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