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Niven Family History

Niven Surname Meaning

Scottish and Irish: from Scottish Gaelic Mac Naoimhín a patronymic from a personal name based on a diminutive of naomh ‘holy saint’.

See McNiven and Nevin.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Niven family from?

You can see how Niven families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Niven family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Niven families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 58 Niven families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Niven's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Niven families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Niven 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 Niven ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Niven. 15% of Niven men worked as an Incapacitated and 70% of Niven women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Niven were Foundry Foreman and Housewife.

View Census Data for Niven | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • Incapacitated
    15%
  • Milkman
    15%
  • Hotel Proprietor
    15%
  • Foundry Foreman
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Niven family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Niven. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Niven census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Niven

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Niven. 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 Niven immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Niven military records

You've only scratched the surface of Niven family history

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What is the average Niven lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Niven life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Niven in 1957 was 26, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Niven

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Niven 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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