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Besett Family History

Besett Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Bessett, Bresett, Brett, Best, Baskett, Beets, Beckett, Bessent

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Besett family from?

You can see how Besett families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Besett family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Besett families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 44 Besett families living in New York. This was about 62% of all the recorded Besett's in USA. New York had the highest population of Besett families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Besett surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Besett ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Besett. 60% of Besett men worked as a Laborer. .

View Census Data for Besett | 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 Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    60%
  • New Worker
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Besett family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Besett. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Besett census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Besett

Passenger Lists

There are 36 immigration records available for the last name Besett. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Besett immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 104 military records available for the last name Besett. For the veterans among your Besett ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Besett military records

You've only scratched the surface of Besett family history

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What is the average Besett lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Besett life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1967, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Besett in 1959 was 60, and 92 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Besett

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Besett family tree

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