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Nell Family History

Nell Surname Meaning

Dutch and German: from the personal name Nel, a shortened form of Cornelius. South German: nickname from Middle High German nelle ‘crown of the head’ perhaps denoting an obstinate person.

English: from the Middle English personal name Nelle. This may sometimes have been a variant of Nele (Nigellus see Neal).

However, it was probably more often a pet form of the commoner name Elias (see Ellis) with a prosthetic N-.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Nell family from?

You can see how Nell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nell families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 69 Nell families living in Yorkshire. This was about 23% of all the recorded Nell's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Nell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nell 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 Nell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Silk woolen Agents and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Nell. 34% of Nell men worked as a Silk woolen Agents and 73% of Nell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nell were Silver Finisherspoon fork and Retired.

View Census Data for Nell | 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

  • Silk woolen Agents
    34%
  • General Labourer
    34%
  • Silver Finisherspoon fork
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Private Means
    8%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Retired
    4%

What Nell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Nell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Nell

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Nell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nell family history

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What is the average Nell lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Nell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Nell in 1951 was 29, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nell 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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