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Wessels Family History

Wessels Surname Meaning

Dutch and North German: patronymic from the personal name Wessel This surname is also established in South Africa.

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


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Where is the Wessels family from?

You can see how Wessels families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wessels family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wessels families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 9 Wessels families living in Lancashire. This was about 64% of all the recorded Wessels's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Wessels families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wessels 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 Wessels ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Wessels. 100% of Wessels women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Wessels | 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
    100%

What Wessels family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Wessels. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wessels census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wessels

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Wessels. 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 Wessels immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Wessels. For the veterans among your Wessels ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wessels military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wessels family history

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What is the average Wessels lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Wessels life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Wessels in 1951 was 48, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wessels

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wessels 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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