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Nelso Family History

Nelso 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: Nelson, Kelso, Ness, Elson, Bello, Nasso, Melson, Mello, Kelson, Elo

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Nelso family from?

You can see how Nelso families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nelso family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nelso families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1851 there were 7 Nelso families living in Stirlingshire. This was about 70% of all the recorded Nelso's in Scotland. Stirlingshire had the highest population of Nelso families in 1851.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nelso 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 Nelso ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Seamstress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nelso. 100% of Nelso men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Nelso women worked as a Seamstress.

View Census Data for Nelso | 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
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Seamstress
    50%
  • Stitcher
    50%

What Nelso family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 482 census records available for the last name Nelso. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nelso census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Nelso

Passenger Lists

There are 78 immigration records available for the last name Nelso. 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 Nelso immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 54 military records available for the last name Nelso. For the veterans among your Nelso ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nelso military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nelso family history

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What is the average Nelso lifespan?

Between 1975 and 2004, in the United States, Nelso life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1998, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Nelso in 1975 was 76, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nelso

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nelso 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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