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Spell Family History

Spell Name Meaning

German: perhaps a habitational name from Spelle (see Speller ).

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


Similar surnames: Spells, Shell, Speller, Stell, Pell, Aspell, Sell, Zell, Knell, Soll

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 Spell family from?

You can see how Spell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Spell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Spell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 8 Spell families living in North Carolina. This was about 24% of all the recorded Spell's in USA. North Carolina had the highest population of Spell families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Spell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Spell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Spell. 28% of Spell men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Spell women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Spell were Truck Driver and Maid. .

View Census Data for Spell | 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
    28%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Farm Laborer
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    16%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Clerk
    8%
  • Maid
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Spell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Spell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Spell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Spell

Passenger Lists

There are 601 immigration records available for the last name Spell. 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 Spell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Spell. For the veterans among your Spell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Spell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Spell family history

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What is the average Spell lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Spell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Spell in 1943 was 23, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Spell

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Spell family tree

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