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Kessel Family History

Kessel Name Meaning

English: variant of Kestel. German: from Middle High German kezzel ‘kettle’, ‘cauldron’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of copper cooking vessels, or alternatively a topographic and habitational name, from the same word in the sense ‘(ring-shaped) hollow’. Dutch and Belgian: habitational name from any of the places so named in the Belgian provinces of Antwerp and Limburg or the Dutch province of North Brabant.

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


Similar surnames: Kestel, Kassel, Ressel, Fessel, Kesel, Hessel, Nessel, Wessel, Keitel

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 Kessel family from?

You can see how Kessel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kessel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kessel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 4 Kessel families living in Virginia. This was about 50% of all the recorded Kessel's in USA. Virginia had the highest population of Kessel families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kessel 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 Kessel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kessel. 16% of Kessel men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Kessel women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kessel were Clerk and Waitress. .

View Census Data for Kessel | 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
    16%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    8%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Waitress
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kessel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Kessel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kessel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Kessel

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Kessel. 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 Kessel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Kessel. For the veterans among your Kessel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kessel military records

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What is the average Kessel lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Kessel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Kessel in 1945 was 42, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kessel

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