Kessel Family History

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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

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Kessel Ethnicity Estimate

What are the common regions with the Kessel name?

These results combine data from everyone in the AncestryDNA® database with the last name Kessel. The Ancestry® ethnicity regions shown are top five most common on average for these people.

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  • England & Wales

    34%

  • Germanic Europe

    15%

  • Ireland & Scotland

    13%

  • European Jewish

    13%

  • Eastern Europe & Russia

    7%

Your own DNA-based ethnicity estimate will differ from what you see here. To get your personalized ethnicity estimate, order an AncestryDNA® kit.order an AncestryDNA® kit.

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Kessel Family Origin

Where is the Kessel family from?

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1840
    1920
    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 the USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 4 Kessel families living in Virginia. This was about 50% of all the recorded Kessel's in the 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.

    View Census Data for Kessel

    Kessel Family Occupations

    What did your Kessel ancestors do for a living?

    In 1880, a less common occupation for the Kessel family was Cooper. Farmer, Laborer and Carpenter were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Kessel. The most common Kessel occupation in the USA was Farmer. 31% of Kessel's were Farmers.

    View Census data for Kessel | Data not to scale

    • Farmer

      31%

    • Laborer

      7%

    • Carpenter

      5%

    • Cooper

      3%

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

    Kessel Historical Records

    What Kessel family records will you find?

    Census Record

    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 1940's US census records for Kessel

    Passenger List

    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 Card

    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

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

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    Kessel Life Expectancy

    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

    An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kessel 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 Kessel Family Ancestors

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