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Gessen Family History

Gessen 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: Jessen, Kessen, Gessel, Nessen, Hessen, Gassen, Essen, Geisen, Gesser

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gessen family from?

You can see how Gessen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gessen family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. The most Gessen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 7 Gessen families living in Illinois. This was about 30% of all the recorded Gessen's in USA. Illinois had the highest population of Gessen families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gessen 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 Gessen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman was the top reported job for people in the USA named Gessen. 45% of Gessen men worked as a Salesman.

View Census Data for Gessen | 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

  • Salesman
    45%
  • Farmer
    34%
  • Laborer
    23%

What Gessen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 382 census records available for the last name Gessen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gessen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gessen

Passenger Lists

There are 86 immigration records available for the last name Gessen. 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 Gessen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 28 military records available for the last name Gessen. For the veterans among your Gessen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gessen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gessen family history

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What is the average Gessen lifespan?

Between 1967 and 1997, in the United States, Gessen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1992, and highest in 1973. The average life expectancy for Gessen in 1967 was 80, and 82 in 1997.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gessen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gessen 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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