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Gessel Family History

Gessel Surname Meaning

South German: topographic name for someone who lived in a side street or alley from a diminutive of Gasse ‘alley side street’.

Dutch: see Van Gessel.

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 Gessel family from?

You can see how Gessel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gessel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gessel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Gessel family living in London. This was about 50% of all the recorded Gessel's in United Kingdom. London and 1 other county had the highest population of Gessel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gessel 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 Gessel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gessel. 38% of Gessel men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Gessel women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gessel were Carpenter and Housework.

View Census Data for Gessel | 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

  • Farmer
    38%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Carpenter
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    25%
  • Housekeeper
    25%
  • Domestic
    25%
  • Housework
    25%

What Gessel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Gessel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gessel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gessel

Passenger Lists

There are 518 immigration records available for the last name Gessel. 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 Gessel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 420 military records available for the last name Gessel. For the veterans among your Gessel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gessel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gessel family history

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What is the average Gessel lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Gessel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1978. The average life expectancy for Gessel in 1958 was 41, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gessel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gessel 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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