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Besk Family History

Besk 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: Beck, Best, Berk, Beske, Bess, Beek, Busk, Bek, Belk, Bell

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Besk family from?

You can see how Besk families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Besk family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Besk families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1880 there were 8 Besk families living in Illinois. This was about 42% of all the recorded Besk's in USA. Illinois had the highest population of Besk families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Besk surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Besk ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Besk. 23% of Besk men worked as a Laborer and 12% of Besk women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Besk were Machinist and Bookkeeper. .

View Census Data for Besk | 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
    23%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Salesman
    13%
  • Machinist
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    12%
  • Housewife
    12%
  • Seamstress
    9%
  • Bookkeeper
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Besk family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Besk

Passenger Lists

There are 288 immigration records available for the last name Besk. 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 Besk immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 108 military records available for the last name Besk. For the veterans among your Besk ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Besk military records

You've only scratched the surface of Besk family history

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What is the average Besk lifespan?

Between 1970 and 2004, in the United States, Besk life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1991, and highest in 1975. The average life expectancy for Besk in 1970 was 73, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Besk

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Besk family tree

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