This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Gell family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Gell Family History

Gell Surname Meaning

English (northern): from Middle English Gelle a pet form of the personal name Gerard. Gerard in Middle English was indistinguishable from Gerald of which Gelle was a syncopated form.

English: occasionally a variant of Gill from a pet form of the personal name Jelion or Gillian. These are Middle English versions of Julian found mainly as a female name occasionally as a male name.

Manx: variant of Gill a shortened form of Gaelic Mac Gille meaning ‘son of the lad (i.e. servant)’.

German (mainly Bavaria): nickname for someone with fair hair from Bavarian German gêl ‘yellow’ (see Gelb ).

Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): nickname for a man with red hair from Yiddish gel ‘red-headed’ (from Middle High German gel ‘yellow’).

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gell family from?

You can see how Gell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Gell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 79 Gell families living in Ontario. This was about 61% of all the recorded Gell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Gell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Gell ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Gell. 34% of Gell men worked as a Farmer and 38% of Gell women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gell were Calpaines and Teacher.

View Census Data for Gell | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    34%
  • Labourer
    20%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Calpaines
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    38%
  • Dressmaker
    38%
  • Teacher
    25%

What Gell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 26,000 census records available for the last name Gell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gell

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Gell. 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 Gell immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Gell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gell family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Gell family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial