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Thessen Family History

Thessen 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: Hessen, Thissen, Theisen, Thiessen, Thyssen, Theissen, Tesser, Hessel

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Thessen family from?

You can see how Thessen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thessen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Thessen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 18 Thessen families living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Thessen's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Thessen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thessen 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 Thessen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Thessen. 40% of Thessen men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Thessen women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Thessen were Inspector and Housewife.

View Census Data for Thessen | 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
    40%
  • Laborer
    27%
  • Proprietor
    9%
  • Inspector
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    34%
  • Bookkeeper
    34%
  • Housewife
    34%

What Thessen family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Thessen

Passenger Lists

There are 169 immigration records available for the last name Thessen. 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 Thessen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 125 military records available for the last name Thessen. For the veterans among your Thessen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thessen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thessen family history

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What is the average Thessen lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2003, in the United States, Thessen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1972, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Thessen in 1965 was 85, and 75 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thessen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thessen 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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