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Niemela Family History

Niemela Surname Meaning

Finnish (Niemelä): habitational name from farms so named from niemi ‘headland spit’ (compare Niemi) + the locative suffix -lä.

Established as a hereditary surname since the 19th century in western, southern, and northern Finland.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Niemela family from?

You can see how Niemela families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Niemela family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Niemela families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 8 Niemela families living in Washington. This was 100% of all the recorded Niemela's in USA. Washington had the highest population of Niemela families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Niemela 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 Niemela ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Niemela. 37% of Niemela men worked as a Farmer and 24% of Niemela women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Niemela were Carpenter and Saleslady.

View Census Data for Niemela | 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

  • Farmer
    37%
  • Laborer
    27%
  • Farm Laborer
    12%
  • Carpenter
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    24%
  • Stenographer
    16%
  • Maid
    16%
  • Saleslady
    12%

What Niemela family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Niemela

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 431 military records available for the last name Niemela. For the veterans among your Niemela ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Niemela military records

You've only scratched the surface of Niemela family history

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What is the average Niemela lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Niemela life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Niemela in 1959 was 64, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Niemela

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Niemela 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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