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Shel Family History

Shel 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: Shen, Shell, Shea, Seel, Oshel, Shew, Sher, Shelp, Shiel, Shek

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Shel family from?

You can see how Shel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Shel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 3 Shel families living in Dorset. This was 100% of all the recorded Shel's in United Kingdom. Dorset had the highest population of Shel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shel 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 Shel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Shel. 100% of Shel men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Shel | 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

  • Laborer
    100%

What Shel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 494 census records available for the last name Shel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shel

Passenger Lists

There are 138 immigration records available for the last name Shel. 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 Shel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 58 military records available for the last name Shel. For the veterans among your Shel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shel family history

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What is the average Shel lifespan?

Between 1981 and 1997, in the United States, Shel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1992, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Shel in 1981 was 80, and 88 in 1997.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shel

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shel 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Shel family tree

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