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Gelles Family History

Gelles Surname Meaning

German: metronymic from the German female personal name Gele, a short form of either Angela or Gertrude (see Trude). This surname is very rare in Germany.

Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): metronymic from the Yiddish female personal name Gele borrowed from German Christians (see 1 above) + Yiddish possessive -s.

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


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Where is the Gelles family from?

You can see how Gelles families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gelles family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Gelles families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 27 Gelles families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 38% of all the recorded Gelles's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Gelles families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gelles 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 Gelles ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Gelles. 43% of Gelles men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Gelles | 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
    43%
  • Clerk
    29%
  • Merchant
    29%

What Gelles family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Gelles

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 326 military records available for the last name Gelles. For the veterans among your Gelles ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gelles military records

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What is the average Gelles lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Gelles life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1965, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Gelles in 1956 was 56, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gelles

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gelles 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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