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Niss Family History

Niss Surname Meaning

German and Danish: assimilated form of Nils a shortening of Nikolaus (see Nicholas).

Jewish (from Ukraine and Poland): artificial name from Yiddish dialect nis ‘nut’ (cognate with German Nüss; see 1 above).

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


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Where is the Niss family from?

You can see how Niss families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Niss family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Niss families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 11 Niss families living in Sussex. This was about 32% of all the recorded Niss's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Niss families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Niss 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 Niss ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Niss. 26% of Niss men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Niss women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Niss were Laborer and Clerk.

View Census Data for Niss | 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
    26%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Caretaker
    9%
  • Laborer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    60%
  • Clerk
    40%

What Niss family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Niss. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Niss census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Niss

Passenger Lists

There are 651 immigration records available for the last name Niss. 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 Niss immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Niss. For the veterans among your Niss ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Niss military records

You've only scratched the surface of Niss family history

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What is the average Niss lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Niss life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Niss in 1965 was 80, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Niss

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Niss 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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