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Wessel Family History

Wessel Name Meaning

Dutch and German: from a pet form of the personal name Werner . German: habitational name from Wessel in Saxony. Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian Vesel and also an Americanized form of a homonymous Slovak surname which probably originates from German Wessel (see above) and of Czech and Slovak Veselý (see Vesely ). Compare Wessell and Vessel . Jewish (western Ashkenazic): variant of Wesel a habitational name from the town of Wesel in Westphalia Germany.

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

Similar surnames: Hessel, Ressel, Kessel, Wessels, Weisel, Wendel, Jessel, Nessel

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Where is the Wessel family from?

You can see how Wessel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wessel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wessel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 21 Wessel families living in Ontario. This was about 50% of all the recorded Wessel's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Wessel families in 1911.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wessel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Wessel

What Wessel family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Wessel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wessel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search Canadian census records for Wessel
Passenger Lists
There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Wessel. 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 Wessel immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Wessel. For the veterans among your Wessel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Wessel military records

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Wessel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wessel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wessel

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Wessel. 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 Wessel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Wessel. For the veterans among your Wessel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wessel military records

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What is the average Wessel lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Wessel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Wessel in 1951 was 69, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wessel

Browse profiles of historical people with the Wessel last name

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