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Bessel Family History

Bessel Name Meaning

German: possibly a habitational or topographic from the name of a place or river. English (Gloucestershire): variant of Bessell .

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


Similar surnames: Wessel, Fessel, Jessel, Hessel, Kessel, Gessel, Ressel, Bensel

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 Bessel family from?

You can see how Bessel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bessel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bessel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Bessel families living in Ohio. This was about 67% of all the recorded Bessel's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Bessel families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bessel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Bessel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bessel. 17% of Bessel men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Bessel women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bessel were Proprietor and Bookkeeper. .

View Census Data for Bessel | 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

  • Farmer
    17%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Proprietor
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    50%
  • Bookkeeper
    50%
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What Bessel family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Bessel

Passenger Lists

There are 637 immigration records available for the last name Bessel. 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 Bessel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Bessel. For the veterans among your Bessel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bessel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bessel family history

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What is the average Bessel lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Bessel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1990, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Bessel in 1963 was 74, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bessel

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bessel family tree

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