History of your Surname
Get access to Belle family records.Start a free trial

Belle Family History

Belle Name Meaning

Italian (Bellé): from a shortened derivative of Bello for example Belletto. French: from the feminine form of the nickname Bel from Old French belle ‘beautiful’ or a habitational name from (La) Belle the name of several places in various parts of France. German: habitational name from a place so named in the Lippe district. Dutch: variant of Van Belle . English: variant of Bell . Germanized Italianized or Americanized form of Slovenian Bele: nickname for a fair-haired or pale-skinned man from bel ‘white light fair’ or a patronymic from Beli a nickname derived from this adjective; or from a short form of the old personal name Belcijan from Latin Felicianus (see Feliciano ).

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


Similar surnames: Bell, Beller, Bella, Helle, Bello, Balle, Bolle, Bellew, Selle, Melle

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Belle family from?

You can see how Belle families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Belle family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Belle families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 95 Belle families living in Quebec. This was about 49% of all the recorded Belle's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Belle families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Belle 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 Belle ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Domestic were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Belle. 43% of Belle men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Belle women worked as a Domestic. Some less common occupations for Americans named Belle were Cultivateur and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Belle | 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%
  • Labourer
    11%
  • Journalier
    11%
  • Cultivateur
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Domestic
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Belle family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 42,000 census records available for the last name Belle. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Belle census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Belle

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Belle. For the veterans among your Belle ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Belle military records

You've only scratched the surface of Belle family history

Discover More

What is the average Belle lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Belle life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Belle in 1949 was 42, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Belle

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Belle family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Belle last name

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