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Nel Family History

Nel Surname Meaning

Altered form of French Néel (see Neel) established in South Africa.

Dutch: variant of Nell.

English: possibly a variant of Neal, Nell or Knell.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Nel family from?

You can see how Nel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Nel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Nel family living in Middlesex. This was about 50% of all the recorded Nel's in United Kingdom. Middlesex and 1 other county had the highest population of Nel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Nel ancestors do for a living?

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

View Census Data for Nel | 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 Nel family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Nel

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Nel. 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 Nel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 803 military records available for the last name Nel. For the veterans among your Nel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nel family history

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What is the average Nel lifespan?

Between 1969 and 2002, in the United States, Nel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Nel in 1969 was 81, and 82 in 2002.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nel 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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