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Bel Family History

Bel Name Meaning

French: nickname for a handsome man (perhaps also ironically for an ugly one) from Old French beu bel ‘beautiful handsome’ (from Late Latin bellus). Compare Lebel and Beau . Hungarian (Bél): from the old personal name Bél or perhaps from bél ‘inside internal part’. The latter may have been an occupational name for an indoor servant i.e. one who worked inside a great house. Dutch: possibly an altered form of Scottish Bell .

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

Similar surnames: Bell, Beal, Belo, Biel, Beck, Best, Bey, Bee, Belt, Belin

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Where is the Bel family from?

You can see how Bel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Bel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 7 Bel families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Bel's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bel families in 1891.

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

View Census Data for Bel

What Bel family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Bel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search UK census records for Bel
Passenger Lists
There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Bel. 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 Bel immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Bel. For the veterans among your Bel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Bel military records

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Bel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bel

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Bel. 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 Bel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Bel. For the veterans among your Bel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bel family history

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What is the average Bel lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2003, in the United States, Bel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Bel in 1955 was 35, and 85 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bel

Browse profiles of historical people with the Bel last name

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