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Wessells Family History

Wessells Surname Meaning

Altered form of Wessell a surname of German origin with the addition of excrescent -s a common feature of Americanized surnames.

Altered form of Dutch and North German Wessels.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Wessells family from?

You can see how Wessells families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wessells family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Wessells families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Wessells family living in Breconshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Wessells's in United Kingdom. Breconshire had the highest population of Wessells families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wessells 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 Wessells ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wessells. 35% of Wessells men worked as a Farmer and 35% of Wessells women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wessells were Carpenter and Secretary.

View Census Data for Wessells | 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

  • Farmer
    35%
  • Laborer
    28%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    35%
  • Laborer
    35%
  • Housework
    9%
  • Secretary
    6%

What Wessells family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Wessells

Passenger Lists

There are 275 immigration records available for the last name Wessells. 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 Wessells immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Wessells. For the veterans among your Wessells ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wessells military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wessells family history

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What is the average Wessells lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Wessells life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Wessells in 1946 was 44, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wessells

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wessells 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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