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Bessin Family History

Bessin 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: Bassin, Tessin, Pessin, Besson, Zessin, Lessin, Berlin, Benson, Bein

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bessin family from?

You can see how Bessin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bessin family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Bessin families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there were 6 Bessin families living in Berkshire. This was about 60% of all the recorded Bessin's in United Kingdom. Berkshire had the highest population of Bessin families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bessin surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Bessin ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Cutter and Buffer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bessin. 24% of Bessin men worked as a Cutter and 100% of Bessin women worked as a Buffer.

View Census Data for Bessin | 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

  • Cutter
    24%
  • Atty
    16%
  • Clerk
    16%
  • Seaman
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Buffer
    100%

What Bessin family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 685 census records available for the last name Bessin. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bessin census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bessin

Passenger Lists

There are 238 immigration records available for the last name Bessin. 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 Bessin immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 86 military records available for the last name Bessin. For the veterans among your Bessin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bessin military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bessin family history

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What is the average Bessin lifespan?

Between 1970 and 1998, in the United States, Bessin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1989, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Bessin in 1970 was 85, and 89 in 1998.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bessin 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 Bessin family tree

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