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Dess Family History

Dess Surname Meaning

German (Bavaria): unexplained.

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 Dess family from?

You can see how Dess families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dess family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dess families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 15 Dess families living in London. This was about 52% of all the recorded Dess's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Dess families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dess 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 Dess ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Dess. 30% of Dess men worked as a Laborer and 16% of Dess women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dess were Labor and Seamstress.

View Census Data for Dess | 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
    30%
  • Farmer
    21%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Labor
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    16%
  • Servant
    16%
  • Housekeeper
    12%
  • Seamstress
    12%

What Dess family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Dess

Passenger Lists

There are 397 immigration records available for the last name Dess. 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 Dess immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 504 military records available for the last name Dess. For the veterans among your Dess ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dess military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dess family history

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What is the average Dess lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Dess life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Dess in 1963 was 70, and 50 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dess

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dess 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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