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Nelman Family History

Nelman Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Selman, Kelman, Neman, Elman, Belman, Newman, Helman, Neeman, Felman

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Nelman family from?

You can see how Nelman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nelman family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Nelman families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1841 there was 1 Nelman family living in Aberdeenshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Nelman's in Scotland. Aberdeenshire had the highest population of Nelman families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nelman surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1841
  • 1851
  • 1861
  • 1871
  • 1891
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What did your Nelman ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nelman. 43% of Nelman men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Nelman women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nelman were Owner and Typist.

View Census Data for Nelman | 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
    43%
  • Laborer
    29%
  • Salesman
    10%
  • Owner
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    34%
  • New Worker
    34%
  • Typist
    34%

What Nelman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 858 census records available for the last name Nelman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nelman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Nelman

Passenger Lists

There are 181 immigration records available for the last name Nelman. 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 Nelman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 72 military records available for the last name Nelman. For the veterans among your Nelman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nelman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nelman family history

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What is the average Nelman lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Nelman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Nelman in 1963 was 66, and 69 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nelman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nelman 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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