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Nelsh Family History

Nelsh 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: Welsh, Neish, Kelsh, Ness, Nash, Nelson, Delph, Felch, Kelch, Nell

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Nelsh family from?

You can see how Nelsh families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nelsh family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Nelsh families were found in USA in 1920. In 1851 there were 5 Nelsh families living in Ayrshire. This was about 63% of all the recorded Nelsh's in Scotland. Ayrshire had the highest population of Nelsh families in 1851.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nelsh surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1851
  • 1861
  • 1871
  • 1881
  • 1891
  • 1901
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What did your Nelsh ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nelsh. 25% of Nelsh men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Nelsh women worked as a Teacher.

View Census Data for Nelsh | 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

  • Laborer
    25%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Farmer
    9%
  • Superintendent
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    100%

What Nelsh family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Nelsh. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nelsh census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Nelsh

Passenger Lists

There are 101 immigration records available for the last name Nelsh. 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 Nelsh immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 98 military records available for the last name Nelsh. For the veterans among your Nelsh ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nelsh military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nelsh family history

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What is the average Nelsh lifespan?

Average Nelsh life expectancy in 2000 was 80 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 75.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nelsh

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nelsh 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Nelsh family tree

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