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Nicolai Family History

Nicolai Surname Meaning

North German, Dutch, and French (mainly Lorraine): Latinized (humanistic) patronymic from the Latin genitive case of the personal name Nicolaus (see Nicholas). Compare Nicolay.

Italian: patronymic or plural form of the personal name Nicolao, a variant of Nicola.

This surname is also found in Corsica and southern France.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Nicolai family from?

You can see how Nicolai families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nicolai family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nicolai families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 3 Nicolai families living in London. This was about 75% of all the recorded Nicolai's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Nicolai families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nicolai 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 Nicolai ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nicolai. 19% of Nicolai men worked as a Farmer and 14% of Nicolai women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nicolai were Truck Driver and Seamstress.

View Census Data for Nicolai | 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
    19%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    14%
  • Waitress
    11%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • Seamstress
    7%

What Nicolai family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Nicolai

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Nicolai. 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 Nicolai immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Nicolai. For the veterans among your Nicolai ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nicolai military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nicolai family history

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What is the average Nicolai lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Nicolai life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Nicolai in 1957 was 76, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nicolai

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nicolai 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 Nicolai family tree

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