Bel Family History

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Bel Name Meaning

English and French: nickname for a handsome man (perhaps also ironically for an ugly one), from Old French beu, bel ‘fair’, ‘lovely’ (Late Latin bellus). Hungarian (Bél): from the old secular Hungarian name Bél, or alternatively from bél ‘internal part’, probably an occupational name for a servant who worked in the household. Czech (Bel) from Czech bílý ‘white’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


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

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Bel Family Origin

Where is the Bel family from?

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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 the USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 11 Bel families living in Louisiana. This was about 34% of all the recorded Bel's in the USA. Louisiana had the highest population of Bel families in 1880.
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

Bel Family Occupations

What did your Bel ancestors do for a living?

In 1880, a less common occupation for the Bel family was Farmer. The most common Bel occupation in the USA was Apothecary. 20% of Bel's were Apothecarys. Apothecary, Clerk and Does Fam. Washing were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Bel.

View Census data for Bel | Data not to scale

  • Apothecary

    20%

  • Clerk

    20%

  • Does Fam. Washing

    20%

  • Farmer

    20%

Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Bel ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

Bel Historical Records

What Bel family records will you find?

Census Record

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

Search 1940's US census records for Bel

Passenger List

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 USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bel immigration records

Draft Card

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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Bel Life Expectancy

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

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bel ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Famous Bel Family Ancestors

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