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Sell Family History

Sell Name Meaning

English: from Middle English selle ‘shelter for animals shieling’ (Old English (ge)sell) a rough hut of the type normally occupied by animals hence a topographic name for someone who lived in a hut like this. It may also have been used as a nickname for a herdsman. German: variant of Selle . German: metonymic occupational name from Middle High German sel ‘rope’ for a rope maker. Americanized form of Hungarian Széll: topographic name for someone who lived in a spot exposed to the wind from szél ‘wind’. Americanized form of Jewish (from Hungary) Széll: adoption of Hungarian Széll (see 4 above) either as a calque of the formerly used German-based surname or because the Hungarian surname (or word) has some sounds in common with the original surname.

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

Similar surnames: Bell, Fell, Soll, Pell, Tell, Seal, Selle, Hell, Dell, Kell

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Where is the Sell family from?

You can see how Sell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 38 Sell families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 43% of all the recorded Sell's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Sell families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Sell

What did your Sell ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Sell | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Farmer
19%
Laborer
17%
Salesman
6%
Carpenter
4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Housekeeper
9%
Housewife
8%
Clerk
7%
Stenographer
7%

Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Sell family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 73,000 census records available for the last name Sell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search US census records for Sell
Passenger Lists
There are 27,000 immigration records available for the last name Sell. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.
View all Sell immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Sell. For the veterans among your Sell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Sell military records

Census Records

There are 73,000 census records available for the last name Sell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Sell

Passenger Lists

There are 27,000 immigration records available for the last name Sell. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Sell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Sell. For the veterans among your Sell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sell family history

Discover More

What is the average Sell lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Sell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Sell in 1947 was 37, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sell

Browse profiles of historical people with the Sell last name