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Fels Family History

Fels Name Meaning

German: topographic name for someone who lived near high ground or by a prominent crag from Middle High German vels ‘rock cliff’. Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Fels ‘rock’.

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


Similar surnames: Fell, Feld, Fey, Feig, Fall, Gell, Pels, Hils, Fells, Kell

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Fels family from?

You can see how Fels families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fels family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Fels families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 19 Fels families living in Quebec. This was about 76% of all the recorded Fels's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Fels families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fels surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Fels ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Fels. 21% of Fels men worked as a Laborer and 17% of Fels women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fels were Mechanic and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Fels | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    21%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • Mechanic
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    17%
  • Clerk
    11%
  • New Worker
    9%
  • Stenographer
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Fels family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Fels. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fels census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Fels

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Fels. 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 Fels immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Fels. For the veterans among your Fels ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fels military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fels family history

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What is the average Fels lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Fels life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Fels in 1943 was 35, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fels

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