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Isabel Family History

Isabel Surname Meaning

French, Spanish, Portuguese, and English (of French origin) derive from the Old French female personal name Isabel, which is first recorded in late 11th-century Paris and Maine (France). It was an alternative form of Elizabeth, Old French Elisabet, which had a shortened pet form Isabet.

Isabel appears to have originated as a variant of Isabet, in which the suffix -el was substituted for -et through re-interpretation of -et as a hypocoristic diminutive. The resultant -bel was early associated with Old French bel ‘fair, beautiful’, as is evident in the French variant Isabeau.

From France, the name was taken to England, where it achieved considerable popularity in the late medieval period as an independent personal name alongside its rarer doublet Elizabeth. In the form Isabel, it also appears in Spain and Portugal, while in Italy, it took the form Isabella.

The French surnames Isabel and Isabelle are particularly associated with Normandy.

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


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Where is the Isabel family from?

You can see how Isabel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Isabel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Isabel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 4 Isabel families living in Michigan. This was about 36% of all the recorded Isabel's in USA. Michigan had the highest population of Isabel families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Isabel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Isabel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Isabel. 23% of Isabel men worked as a Laborer and 22% of Isabel women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Isabel were Truck Driver and Servant.

View Census Data for Isabel | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    23%
  • Farmer
    21%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    22%
  • Maid
    22%
  • Waitress
    16%
  • Servant
    16%

What Isabel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Isabel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Isabel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Isabel

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Isabel. 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 Isabel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 650 military records available for the last name Isabel. For the veterans among your Isabel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Isabel military records

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