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Nau Family History

Nau Surname Meaning

German: variant of Neu. French: metonymic occupational name for a boatman from Occitan nau ‘ship boat’ (from Latin navis).

French: from a shortened form of a personal name such as Arnaud (see Arnold) or Renaud (see Reynold).

This surname (in any of the two possible senses; see also 2 above) is also found in Haiti.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Nau family from?

You can see how Nau families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nau family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nau families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2 Nau families living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Nau's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Nau families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nau surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Nau ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nau. 25% of Nau men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Nau women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nau were Salesman and Seamstress.

View Census Data for Nau | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    25%
  • Laborer
    21%
  • Clerk
    13%
  • Salesman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    25%
  • School Teacher
    13%
  • Operator
    13%
  • Seamstress
    9%

What Nau family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Nau. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nau census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Nau

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Nau. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Nau immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Nau. For the veterans among your Nau ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nau military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nau family history

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What is the average Nau lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Nau life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Nau in 1947 was 42, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nau

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nau ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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