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Nilsen Family History

Nilsen Surname Meaning

Norwegian: patronymic from the personal name Nils a shortened form of Nikolaus. This form of the surname is also found in Denmark but it is rare there.

Compare Nelsen. Altered form of Norwegian Nilssen a variant of 1 and probably also of the Danish Norwegian or North German cognate Nielsen (compare Nilson).

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


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Where is the Nilsen family from?

You can see how Nilsen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nilsen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Nilsen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 17 Nilsen families living in London. This was about 34% of all the recorded Nilsen's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Nilsen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nilsen 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 Nilsen ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Nilsen. 100% of Nilsen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Nilsen | 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.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Nilsen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Nilsen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nilsen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Nilsen

Passenger Lists

There are 64,000 immigration records available for the last name Nilsen. 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 Nilsen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Nilsen. For the veterans among your Nilsen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nilsen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nilsen family history

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What is the average Nilsen lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Nilsen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Nilsen in 1950 was 41, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nilsen

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

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