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Selman Family History

Selman Surname Meaning

English: nickname for a happy or fortunate man from Middle English seli ‘happy fortunate’ (Old English sǣlig) + man. The nickname was also used as a personal name. See also Seeley.

English: from the Middle English nickname or female personal name Sely (see Seeley) + -man hence an occupational name for a servant of someone so called.

Americanized form of German Sellmann (see Sellman).

Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish personal name Zelman, a pet form of Zalmen (see Salmon).

Muslim: variant of Salman. Bosniak: from the Muslim personal name Selman of Turkish and ultimately of Arabic origin (see Salman compare 5 above).

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


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Where is the Selman family from?

You can see how Selman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Selman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Selman families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 132 Selman families living in Wiltshire. This was about 23% of all the recorded Selman's in United Kingdom. Wiltshire had the highest population of Selman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Selman 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 Selman 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 Selman. 19% of Selman men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Selman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Selman were Farm Labourer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Selman | 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
    19%
  • Builders Labourer
    15%
  • Gardener
    12%
  • Farm Labourer
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housekeeper
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Selman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 26,000 census records available for the last name Selman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Selman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Selman

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Selman. 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 Selman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Selman. For the veterans among your Selman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Selman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Selman family history

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What is the average Selman lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Selman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Selman in 1943 was 39, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Selman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Selman 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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