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Sels Family History

Sels Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Sell, Sens, Fels, Self, Selk, Pels, Els, Selz, Wels, Seals

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Sels family from?

You can see how Sels families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sels family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Sels families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 2 Sels families living in Ontario. This was about 67% of all the recorded Sels's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Sels families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sels surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Sels ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Sels. 60% of Sels men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Sels | 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
    60%
  • Manager
    40%

What Sels family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Sels. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sels census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Sels

Passenger Lists

There are 455 immigration records available for the last name Sels. 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 Sels immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Sels. For the veterans among your Sels ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sels military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sels family history

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What is the average Sels lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2001, in the United States, Sels life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1983, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Sels in 1967 was 61, and 70 in 2001.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sels

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sels 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.

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