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Nelby Family History

Nelby 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: Selby, Welby, Newby, Melby, Nerby, Nesby, Ney, Dalby, Wilby, Kelly

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Nelby family from?

You can see how Nelby families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nelby family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nelby families were found in USA in 1880. In 1861 there was 1 Nelby family living in Selkirkshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Nelby's in Scotland. Selkirkshire had the highest population of Nelby families in 1861.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nelby 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 Nelby ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farm Labor was the top reported job for people in the USA named Nelby. 100% of Nelby men worked as a Farm Labor.

View Census Data for Nelby | 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

  • Farm Labor
    100%

What Nelby family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 150 census records available for the last name Nelby. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nelby census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Nelby

Passenger Lists

There are 20 immigration records available for the last name Nelby. 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 Nelby immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9 military records available for the last name Nelby. For the veterans among your Nelby ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nelby military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nelby family history

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What is the average Nelby lifespan?

Average Nelby life expectancy in 1966 was 77 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 71.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nelby

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

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