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Besser Family History

Besser Surname Meaning

German: occupational name for a collector of fines from Middle High German bezzeräre, an agent derivative of bezzern ‘to collect fines’.

Habitational name from any of various places in Germany named Besser, Bessing, or Bessingen.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Besser family from?

You can see how Besser families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Besser family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Besser families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 18 Besser families living in London. This was about 41% of all the recorded Besser's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Besser families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Besser 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 Besser ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Ladies Tailor and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Besser. 46% of Besser men worked as a Ladies Tailor and 77% of Besser women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Besser were Tailors Presser and Dress Machinist.

View Census Data for Besser | 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

  • Ladies Tailor
    46%
  • Tailor
    19%
  • Master Tailor
    19%
  • Tailors Presser
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Dressmaker
    10%
  • Tailoress
    7%
  • Dress Machinist
    7%

What Besser family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Besser. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Besser census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Besser

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Besser. 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 Besser immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Besser. For the veterans among your Besser ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Besser military records

You've only scratched the surface of Besser family history

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What is the average Besser lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Besser life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Besser in 1948 was 52, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Besser

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Besser 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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