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

Bessent Family History

Bessent Name Meaning

English (Hampshire): from Middle English besant besand the name of a gold coin first minted at Byzantium (Old French besan plural besanz Latin byzantius) probably used to denote a moneyer.

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


Similar surnames: Bassett, Bisset, Dessert, Besser, Beese, Nessen, Besson, Bessey

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 Bessent family from?

You can see how Bessent families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bessent family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Bessent families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there was 1 Bessent family living in Alberta. This was about 33% of all the recorded Bessent's in Canada. Alberta and 2 other provinces had the highest population of Bessent families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bessent surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Bessent ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bessent. 50% of Bessent men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Bessent women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bessent were Electrician and Bookkeeper. .

View Census Data for Bessent | 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

  • Laborer
    50%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Carpenter
    10%
  • Electrician
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    34%
  • Laundress
    23%
  • Cook
    23%
  • Bookkeeper
    23%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Bessent family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Bessent

Passenger Lists

There are 227 immigration records available for the last name Bessent. 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 Bessent immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Bessent. For the veterans among your Bessent ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bessent military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bessent family history

Discover More

What is the average Bessent lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Bessent life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1981, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Bessent in 1940 was 46, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bessent

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bessent family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Bessent last name

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