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Selms Family History

Selms 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: Nelms, Melms, Helms, Sells, Elms, Helm, Sales, Melis, Salm, Sell

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Selms family from?

You can see how Selms families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Selms family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1840 and 1891. The most Selms families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 6 Selms families living in Sussex. This was 100% of all the recorded Selms's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Selms families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Selms 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 Selms family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 407 census records available for the last name Selms. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Selms census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Selms

Passenger Lists

There are 46 immigration records available for the last name Selms. 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 Selms immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 51 military records available for the last name Selms. For the veterans among your Selms ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Selms military records

You've only scratched the surface of Selms family history

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What is the average Selms lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Selms 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.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Selms

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