Wessel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Early Origins of the Wessel family

The surname Wessel 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 Wessel family

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

Wessel 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 Wessel family

Notables bearing the name Wessel of this period include

Johann Wessel, (c.1420-1489) was a Dutch theologian and precursor of the Protestant Reformation...

Wessel Ranking

In the United States, the name Wessel is the 5,932^nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Wessel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wessel Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

David Wessel, who settled in New York, NY in 1657

Wessel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Cassimir Wessel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 2

Wessel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samuel Wessel, whose Oath of Allegiance was recorded in Philadelphia in 1804
Samuel Wessel, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 2
Eberh Heinr Adolph Wessel, aged 25, who landed in America in 1817 2
Herm Wessel, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 2
Joh. B. Wessel, who arrived in Baltimore in 1834
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wessel migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wessel Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Anna Wessel, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
Cassen Wessel, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
Catherina Wessel, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
Friederich Wessel, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757
Margereta Wessel, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Wessel (post 1700) +

Morris Arthur Wessel (1917-2016), American pediatrician, clinical professor of pediatrics at Yale Medical School
Henry Wessel Jr. (b. 1942), American photographer
Mark Wessel (1894-1973), American pianist and composer
Michael Wade Wessel (b. 1977), American heavyweight mixed martial arts fighter
Dick Wessel (1913-1965), American actor
Bernhard Wessel (1936-2022), German footballer who played as a goalkeeper, most notably for Borussia Dortmund (1959-1969)
Wilhelm Wessel, German book publisher of the 17th century
Franz Wessel (1903-1958), German judge
Helene Wessel (1898-1969), German politician
Ute Kircheis Wessel (b. 1953), German fencer
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Wessel family +

Bismarck

Hans Jürgen Wessel (1920-1941), German Fähnrich (W) who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 3

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details