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Bela Family History

Bela Surname Meaning

Hungarian (Béla): from the common Hungarian personal name Béla which is of uncertain etymology. It may be from the Slavic personal name element bel ‘white’ (see for example Belan) or possibly from Turkish bel ‘waist loins’ also ‘middle of the back’ or belek ‘gift’. The surname Bela is also found in Romania, Slovenia, and Croatia.

Czech (Běla): from the female personal name Běla meaning ‘white’. As a surname, it denoted the son or husband of a woman so named.

Sorbian (Běla, B'ela or Běła, B'eła): from a pet form of the Biblical personal name Abel or a nickname derived from běły ‘white, bright, fair’. Compare Biele, Biehle.

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


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Where is the Bela family from?

You can see how Bela families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bela family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Bela families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 7 Bela families living in Lincolnshire. This was about 88% of all the recorded Bela's in United Kingdom. Lincolnshire had the highest population of Bela families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bela 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 Bela ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bela. 32% of Bela men worked as a Laborer and 38% of Bela women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bela were Farm Laborer and Teacher.

View Census Data for Bela | 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
    32%
  • Salesman
    19%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Farm Laborer
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    38%
  • Saleslady
    38%
  • Teacher
    25%

What Bela family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Bela. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bela census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bela

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Bela. For the veterans among your Bela ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bela military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bela family history

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What is the average Bela lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2003, in the United States, Bela life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1981, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Bela in 1964 was 74, and 79 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bela

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bela 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bela family tree

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