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Gesell Family History

Gesell Surname Meaning

German: from Middle High German geselle ‘companion’ (Old High German gisell(i)o a derivative of sal ‘hall’ originally referring to someone who shared living accommodation).

In the medieval trade guilds this word acquired the specialized sense of ‘journeyman’ i.e. one who had completed his apprenticeship and was working in the workshop of a master craftsman;

the surname may well be derived from this specialized sense rather than merely from a nickname meaning ‘companion’ or ‘friend’.

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


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Where is the Gesell family from?

You can see how Gesell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gesell family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Gesell families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 3 Gesell families living in Ontario. This was about 60% of all the recorded Gesell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Gesell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gesell 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 Gesell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gesell. 31% of Gesell men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Gesell women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gesell were Clerk and Saleslady.

View Census Data for Gesell | 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
    31%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    16%
  • Secretary
    13%
  • Housewife
    10%
  • Saleslady
    7%

What Gesell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Gesell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gesell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gesell

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Gesell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gesell family history

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What is the average Gesell lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Gesell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Gesell in 1957 was 40, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gesell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gesell 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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