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Nielson Family History

Nielson Surname Meaning

Scottish (Lanarkshire): patronymic from the personal name Neil meaning ‘son of Neil’ or an Anglicized form of McNeill.

Americanized form of Danish Norwegian or North German Nielsen and in some cases of Swedish Nilsson.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Nielson family from?

You can see how Nielson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nielson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nielson families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 33 Nielson families living in London. This was about 23% of all the recorded Nielson's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Nielson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nielson 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 Nielson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Nielson. 50% of Nielson men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Nielson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nielson were Bricklayer and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Nielson | 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

  • General Labourer
    50%
  • Bricklayer
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    8%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%

What Nielson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 59,000 census records available for the last name Nielson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nielson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Nielson

Passenger Lists

There are 33,000 immigration records available for the last name Nielson. 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 Nielson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Nielson. For the veterans among your Nielson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nielson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nielson family history

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What is the average Nielson lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Nielson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Nielson in 1945 was 21, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nielson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nielson 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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