Tell Family History

Tell Surname Meaning

North German: from a pet form of Dietrich. South German: topographic name from Middle High German telle ‘gorge depression’. The name of the Swiss hero Wilhelm Tell has not been explained.

North German (mainly Westphalia): topographic name from Middle Low German telg(e) ‘branch twig undergrowth’. Catalan: topographic name from tila ‘linden’ (from Latin tilia) denoting someone who lived near a conspicuous linden.

English (northern): possibly a variant of Teale. This form of the surname is rare in Britain and Ireland.

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

Similar surnames: Dell, Pell, Bell, Tull, Well, Toll, Nell, Ell, Fell, Hell

22K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
9K	Military Records
3K	Immigration Records
13K	Census and Voter Lists
9K	Member Trees

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Where is the Tell family from?

You can see how Tell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 33 Tell families living in Lancashire. This was about 17% of all the recorded Tell's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Tell families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Tell

What did your Tell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid domestic duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Tell.

View Census Data for Tell

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.

Unpaid domestic duties

75%

Domestic servant

Retired

Housekeeper

What Tell family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 13K census records available for the last name Tell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tell

Passenger List

There are 3K immigration records available for the last name Tell. 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 Tell immigration records

Military Records

There are 9K military records available for the last name Tell. For the veterans among your Tell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tell family history

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What is the average Tell lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Tell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Tell in 1943 was 40, and 89 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tell family tree

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Tell Surname Meaning

North German: from a pet form of Dietrich. South German: topographic name from Middle High German telle ‘gorge depression’. The name of the Swiss hero Wilhelm Tell has not been explained.

English (northern): possibly a variant of Teale. This form of the surname is rare in Britain and Ireland.

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

Where is the Tell family from?

What did your Tell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid domestic duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Tell.

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.

Unpaid domestic duties

75%

Domestic servant

Retired

Housekeeper

What Tell family records will you find?

What is the average Tell lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Tell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Tell in 1943 was 40, and 89 in 2004.

Tell Family History

Tell Surname Meaning

58,000 record(s) for Tell

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

Where is the Tell family from?

What did your Tell ancestors do for a living?

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Tell family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Tell family history

What is the average Tell lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tell family tree

Search for another surname

Tell Surname Meaning

58,000 record(s) for Tell

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

Where is the Tell family from?

What did your Tell ancestors do for a living?

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Tell family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Tell family history

What is the average Tell lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tell family tree

Search for another surname