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Gessell Family History

Gessell 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: Gesell, Gessel, Vessell, Hessell, Kessell, Wessell, Bissell, Kessel

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gessell family from?

You can see how Gessell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gessell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Gessell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 5 Gessell families living in Devon. This was about 42% of all the recorded Gessell's in United Kingdom. Devon and 1 other county had the highest population of Gessell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gessell 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 Gessell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Secretary were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gessell. 46% of Gessell men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Gessell women worked as a Secretary. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gessell were Machinist and Housewife.

View Census Data for Gessell | 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
    46%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Proprietor
    19%
  • Machinist
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Secretary
    50%
  • Housewife
    50%

What Gessell family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Gessell

Passenger Lists

There are 157 immigration records available for the last name Gessell. 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 Gessell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 268 military records available for the last name Gessell. For the veterans among your Gessell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gessell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gessell family history

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What is the average Gessell lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Gessell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2002, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Gessell in 1963 was 68, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gessell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gessell 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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