The Sell surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,014 people carried this name — #3,280 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 26,800 people counted. That is up 2% from 10,747 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sell surname

As a surname in the United Kingdom

Harrison explains it as ‘Dweller at a Cell or Hermitage’.

Or from (La) Selle, in France; also a weak form of Seal or Sale.

From Henry Harrison, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary, vol. II (London: The Morland Press, 1918), p. 146 · public domain.

In Poland’s population register

316 people named Sell have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 348 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 9 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Greater Poland.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Greater Poland 177
West Pomeranian 34
Kuyavian-Pomeranian 31
Lower Silesian 16
Masovian 16
Silesian 16
Pomeranian 14
Warmian-Masurian 8

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 255 people named Sell live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Misiones.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Misiones 209
Buenos Aires Province 36
Corrientes 10

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 32 people named Sell.

12 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 6 départements, most often Meurthe-et-Moselle.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 12
Meurthe-et-Moselle 8
Vosges 8
Dordogne 1
Moselle 1
Bas-Rhin 1
Hauts-de-Seine 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

21 people named Sell live in Switzerland.

They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 9
Thurgau 5
St. Gallen 4
Vaud 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

171 people named Sell are counted in Finland and Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Finland (2026) 147
Sweden (2022) 24

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

31 families named Sell, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 185 people lived in those households, 6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 18
North Carolina 6
New York 4
Maryland 2
Virginia 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 261 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Sell in American newspapers,
1901–1924.

Newspaper page from The Neihart Herald carrying the name Sell
The Neihart Herald 1901-01-05
Newspaper page from The Browning Review carrying the name Sell
The Browning Review 1924-06-13
Newspaper page from Great Falls Daily Tribune carrying the name Sell
Great Falls Daily Tribune 1920-08-08

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,387 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Sell in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

26,848 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sell. The most, 4,015, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 8,106
Victoria 7,668
Queensland 5,141
South Australia 2,382
Western Australia 2,076
Tasmania 1,289
ACT (Canberra) 116
Northern Territory 11

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sell.

Who carried it

People named Sell,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Friedrich Christian Wilhelm Karl Sell
    Friedrich Christian Wilhelm Karl Sell 1801–1870 · pastor
  • Eugen Sell
    Eugen Sell 1842–1896 · chemist
  • Johannes Sell 1532–1582 · pastor
  • Johann Jakob Sell 1754–1816 · teacher
  • Georg Wilhelm August Sell 1804–1846 · jurist
  • Karl Sell 1810–1879 · jurist

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Sell,
in the records of 10 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,404 records

1,404 records of the Sell name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 673
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 358
  • Other U.S. records 373
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Eldon M. Sell

    Born 1915 in Minnesota. Enlisted 1944 at Fort Snelling; store manager from Renville County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Arnold J. Sell

    Born 1916 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1943 at Allentown; metal worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War; died 1990, buried at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Pennsylvania.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Anna Sell

    Arrived at Baltimore in 1853 aboard the Franziska from Bremen, aged 55; farmer. From Schmalwasser, Bavaria, Germany; bound for Philadelphia.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,404 records for Sell in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Germany764 records

764 records of the Sell name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 746
  • German emigration and citizenship files 11
  • Other German records 7
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Karl Sell

    Born 1896; from Hackenwalde, Naugard. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 19 July 1918; then reported dead in the list of 22 February 1919 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 34).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Veit Sell

    Left Zimmerau for Essen, Rönschhausen in 1856.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Staatsarchiv Würzburg (CC0)
  3. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Friedrich Wilhelm Sell

    Emigrated to North America in 1871.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)

Showing 3 of 764 records for Sell in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Australia190 records

190 records of the Sell name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 92
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 56
  • Other Australian records 42
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Nehemiah Sell

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the China, sailing from Woolwich in 1846. Native of Cambridgeshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854. Married 1854 in Clarence, Tasmania, aged 40.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record George Sell

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Waterloo, arriving 1833; ticket of leave 1837.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Willm Sell

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Nebraska, aged 25; American.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 190 records for Sell in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Netherlands82 records

82 records of the Sell name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 42
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 29
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 11
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Richard Emil Otto Sell

    Married in 1936 in Amsterdam; office clerk.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Willem Sell

    Died 1866 in Deventer, aged 51; "huisbediende".

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Gertrud Sell

    Married in 1904 in Ambt Doetinchem.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 82 records for Sell in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Norway18 records

18 records of the Sell name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Gustav Sell

    Census of 1910: Søndre Saaheim, Tinn; construction worker, born 1878 in Sverrige.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Anna Sell

    Census of 1910: Aaser og Aaseby, Ømark; "træsliperiarbeiderhustru", born 1883 in Ømark.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 2 of 18 records for Sell in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France15 records

15 records of the Sell name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Lucie Louise Sell

    Born 1903 in Gerbécourt-et-Haplemont (Meurthe-et-Moselle); died 1975 in Jaunay-Clan (Vienne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jean Erhardt Sell

    Born 1924 in Germany; died 1993 in Langres (Haute-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 15 records for Sell in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Canada6 records

6 records of the Sell name in Canada
  • Ontario immigration records, 1865–1883 2
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 1
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record G'o Sell

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Minerva, landing at Quebec, bound for Collingwood, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Hubert Howard Sell

    Buried in 1953 at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.

Showing 2 of 6 records for Sell in Canada.

Counts: Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom6 records

6 records of the Sell name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. Sell

    Gunner, Hussars. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record L. A. Sell

    Gunner, Dyal Garrison Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Sell in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand4 records

4 records of the Sell name in New Zealand
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 2
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 1
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frederick William Sell

    Died 1998, aged 85; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 4 records for Sell in New Zealand.

Counts: Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Finland1 record

1 record of the Sell name in Finland Finland's war dead, 1939–1945
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Sulo Hannes Sell

    Born 1908 in Laukaa; labourer. Died in 1939 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Helsinki.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sell.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Sell is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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