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Wels Family History

Wels Surname Meaning

German: habitational name from Wels in Upper Austria.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Wels family from?

You can see how Wels families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wels family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wels families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 9 Wels families living in Lancashire. This was about 24% of all the recorded Wels's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Wels families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wels 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 Wels ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Wels. 78% of Wels women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Wels | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Domestic Servant
    23%

What Wels family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Wels. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wels census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wels

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Wels. 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 Wels immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Wels. For the veterans among your Wels ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wels military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wels family history

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What is the average Wels lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Wels life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1974, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Wels in 1963 was 82, and 81 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wels

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wels 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 Wels family tree

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