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Zelle Family History

Zelle Name Meaning

German and Dutch: topographic name from German Zelle Dutch zelle (Middle High German zelle) ‘(hermit's) cell’ from Latin cella ‘small room’. The surname may be topographic for someone who lived at or near the site of a hermit's cell or toponymic for someone from any of various places called Zelle or Celle in particular Celle near Hanover (Germany). See Zeller .

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


Similar surnames: Zeller, Selle, Helle, Belle, Welle, Melle, Pelle, Delle, Zell, Nelle

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Zelle family from?

You can see how Zelle families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Zelle family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Zelle families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 21 Zelle families living in Quebec. This was about 88% of all the recorded Zelle's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Zelle families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Zelle surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Zelle ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Zelle. 22% of Zelle men worked as a Farmer and 29% of Zelle women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Zelle were Laborer and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Zelle | 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

  • Farmer
    22%
  • Truck Driver
    18%
  • Accountant
    18%
  • Laborer
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    29%
  • Manager
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    15%
  • Clerk
    15%
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What Zelle family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Zelle. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Zelle census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Zelle

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Zelle. 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 Zelle immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Zelle military records

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What is the average Zelle lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Zelle life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1965, and highest in 1975. The average life expectancy for Zelle in 1963 was 85, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Zelle

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