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Nilson Family History

Nilson Surname Meaning

Americanized form (and a rare Swedish variant) of Swedish Nilsson. Americanized form of Norwegian Nilsen and of Danish Norwegian or North German Nielsen, all cognates of Compare Nielson.

English: variant of Nielson.

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 Nilson family from?

You can see how Nilson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nilson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nilson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 97 Nilson families living in Yorkshire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Nilson's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Nilson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nilson 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 Nilson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Nilson. 22% of Nilson men worked as an Incapacitated and 80% of Nilson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nilson were Farmer Own Account and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Nilson | 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

  • Incapacitated
    22%
  • General Labourer
    22%
  • Pensioner
    15%
  • Farmer Own Account
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Nilson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 63,000 census records available for the last name Nilson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nilson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Nilson

Passenger Lists

There are 86,000 immigration records available for the last name Nilson. 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 Nilson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Nilson. For the veterans among your Nilson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nilson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nilson family history

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What is the average Nilson lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Nilson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Nilson in 1954 was 48, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nilson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nilson 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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