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Bessent Family History

Bessent Name Meaning

English: from Middle English besant, the name of a gold coin (via Old French from Latin (nummus) byzantius, so called because it was first minted at Byzantium). The surname arose as a metonymic occupational name for a minter or moneyer or else as a nickname for a man who was considered to be rich or miserly.

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


Similar surnames: Bassett, Bisset, Dessert, Besser, Beese, Nessen, Besson, Bessey

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 Bessent family from?

You can see how Bessent families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bessent family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Bessent families were found in the UK in 1891. In 1840 there were 5 Bessent families living in South Carolina. This was about 50% of all the recorded Bessent's in the USA. South Carolina had the highest population of Bessent families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bessent 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 Bessent ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Bessent. 50% of Bessent men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Bessent women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bessent were Foreman and Bookkeeper.

View Census data for Bessent | 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
    50%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Carpenter
    10%
  • Foreman
    5%

Top Female Occupations in 1940

  • Laborer
    34%
  • Laundress
    23%
  • Cook
    23%
  • Bookkeeper
    23%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Bessent family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Bessent. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bessent census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Bessent

Passenger Lists

There are 227 immigration records available for the last name Bessent. 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 Bessent immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Bessent military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bessent family history.

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What is the average Bessent lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Bessent life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1981, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Bessent in 1940 was 46, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bessent

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