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Fessenden Family History

Fessenden Surname Meaning

English (Kent): probably from a lost or unidentified place in Kent named with an unexplained first element + Old English denu ‘valley’.

The variant Fishenden is also found.

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 Fessenden family from?

You can see how Fessenden families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fessenden family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fessenden families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 35 Fessenden families living in Kent. This was about 90% of all the recorded Fessenden's in United Kingdom. Kent had the highest population of Fessenden families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fessenden 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 Fessenden ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Fessenden. 100% of Fessenden women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Fessenden | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Fessenden family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Fessenden

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Fessenden. For the veterans among your Fessenden ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fessenden military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fessenden family history

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What is the average Fessenden lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Fessenden life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Fessenden in 1949 was 55, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fessenden

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Fessenden 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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