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Bessant Family History

Bessant Surname Meaning

English: variant of Bessent.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bessant family from?

You can see how Bessant families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bessant family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bessant families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 253 Bessant families living in Hampshire. This was about 40% of all the recorded Bessant's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Bessant families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bessant 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 Bessant 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 Bessant. 26% of Bessant men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Bessant women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bessant were Gardener and Housewife.

View Census Data for Bessant | 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
    26%
  • Incapacitated
    11%
  • Bricklayer
    9%
  • Gardener
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Bessant family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Bessant. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bessant census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bessant

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 933 military records available for the last name Bessant. For the veterans among your Bessant ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bessant military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bessant family history

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What is the average Bessant lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2003, in the United States, Bessant life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2003, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Bessant in 1960 was 69, and 39 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bessant

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bessant 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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