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Gelling Family History

Gelling Surname Meaning

Manx: from Gaelic Ó Gealáin ‘descendant of Gealán’ a personal name derived from a diminutive of Gaelic geal Manx gial ‘bright’. Dutch: habitational name from a farm named Gelling (in Sleen in the province of Drenthe) referring to a certain Gelle and his kin.

The Frisian personal name Gelle is a variant of Jelle a vernacular short form of an ancient Germanic name composed with the element gelt ‘sacrifice repay’.

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


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Where is the Gelling family from?

You can see how Gelling families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gelling family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Gelling families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 279 Gelling families living in Isle of Man. This was about 55% of all the recorded Gelling's in United Kingdom. Isle of Man had the highest population of Gelling families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gelling 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 Gelling 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 Gelling. 34% of Gelling men worked as a General Labourer and 84% of Gelling women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gelling were Motor Transport Driver and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Gelling | 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
    34%
  • Bricklayer
    34%
  • Motor Transport Driver
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Domestic Servant
    6%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

What Gelling family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Gelling. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gelling census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gelling

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 762 military records available for the last name Gelling. For the veterans among your Gelling ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gelling military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gelling family history

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What is the average Gelling lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Gelling life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1992, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Gelling in 1959 was 62, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gelling

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gelling 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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