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Bessa Family History

Bessa 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: Bess, Besse, Sessa, Ressa, Lessa, Bussa, Besso, Messa, Essa, Basa

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bessa family from?

You can see how Bessa families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bessa family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Bessa families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 8 Bessa families living in Alberta. This was about 44% of all the recorded Bessa's in Canada. Alberta and 1 other province had the highest population of Bessa families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bessa 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 Bessa ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Telephone Operator were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bessa. 54% of Bessa men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Bessa women worked as a Telephone Operator.

View Census Data for Bessa | 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
    54%
  • Machinist
    20%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Machine Hand
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Telephone Operator
    100%

What Bessa family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 769 census records available for the last name Bessa. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bessa census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bessa

Passenger Lists

There are 348 immigration records available for the last name Bessa. 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 Bessa immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 91 military records available for the last name Bessa. For the veterans among your Bessa ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bessa military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bessa family history

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What is the average Bessa lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Bessa life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1979, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Bessa in 1962 was 50, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bessa

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bessa 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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