Wessels History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Early Origins of the Wessels family

The surname Wessels was first found in East Prussia, where the name Wessel came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. It later became more prominent as numerous branches of the same house acquired distant estates, some of which were located in other countries. Through the acquisition of these estates as well as their important contributions to society, the family successfully elevated their social status.

Early History of the Wessels family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wessels research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1420, 1489, 1720 and 1767 are included under the topic Early Wessels History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wessels Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wessel, Wessels, Wessell, Wessells, Wesel, Wesels, Wesseles, Wesells, Weesel, Weessel, Wassell, Wassail, Wessail, Wassel and many more.

Early Notables of the Wessels family

More information is included under the topic Early Wessels Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wessels World Ranking

In the United States, the name Wessels is the 9,175^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in Netherlands, the name Wessels is ranked the 165^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,984 people with that name. 2 And in South Africa, the name Wessels is the 317^th popular surname with an estimated 21,084 people with that name. 3

Wessels migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wessels Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Annecken Wessels, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1654 4
David Wessels, who arrived in New Netherland(s) in 1658 4
Tytje Gommers Wessels, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1658 4
Hendrick Wessels, who arrived in New Netherland(s) in 1663 4
Herman Wessels, who landed in New York in 1664 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wessels Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Wessels, who arrived in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1822 4
Georg Wessels, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 4
Gert Wessels, who landed in America in 1834 4
A Gert Wessels, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1840 4
Henry Wessels, aged 26, who arrived in St Louis, Missouri in 1845 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Wessels (post 1700) +

John Wessels (1938-1994), American college basketball player
Tom Wessels (b. 1951), American terrestrial ecologist
Glenn Wessels (1932-1982), South African-born American painter
Ulla Wessels (b. 1965), German analytic philosopher
Stefan Wessels (b. 1979), German football goalkeeper
Louis Wessels (b. 1998), German tennis player
Andreas Wessels (b. 1964), German former football goalkeeper who played from 1982 to 1999
Kepler Wessels (b. 1957), South African cricket
John Wessels (1862-1936), Chief Justice of South Africa from 1932 to 1936
Johan Wessels (b. 1988), South African rugby player
... (Another 15 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)