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Hamel Family History

Hamel Name Meaning

English Scottish and Irish (Louth): variant of Hamill . French: topographic name for someone who lived and worked at an outlying farm dependent on the main village Old French hamel (a diminutive from an ancient Germanic element cognate with Old English hām ‘homestead’); or a habitational name from (Le) Hamel the name of several places in the northern part of France named with this word. Compare Duhamel and also Amell . German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from the city of Hamlin German Hameln Yiddish Haml where the Hamel river empties into the Weser. The name of the river probably derives from the ancient Germanic element ham ‘water meadow’. Dutch: metonymic occupational name for a shepherd from Middle Dutch hamel ‘wether castrated ram’.

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


Similar surnames: Hamer, Hammel, Hazel, Havel, Camel, Habel, Kamel, Hammer, Harmel

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Where is the Hamel family from?

You can see how Hamel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hamel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hamel families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 2,708 Hamel families living in Quebec. This was about 91% of all the recorded Hamel's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Hamel families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hamel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Hamel ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cultivateur and Institutrice were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Hamel. 26% of Hamel men worked as a Cultivateur and 21% of Hamel women worked as an Institutrice. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hamel were Fils Cultivateur and Farmer. .

View Census Data for Hamel | 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 1921

  • Cultivateur
    26%
  • Journalier
    13%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Fils Cultivateur
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Institutrice
    21%
  • Couturire
    10%
  • Mnagre
    8%
  • Farmer
    6%
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What Hamel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 89,000 census records available for the last name Hamel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hamel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Hamel

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Hamel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Hamel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Hamel. For the veterans among your Hamel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hamel military records

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What is the average Hamel lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Hamel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Hamel in 1941 was 35, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hamel

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