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Neils Family History

Neils Name Meaning

German: from a shortened form of the personal name Cornelius . Irish and English: variant of Neil or Neal with excrescent English -s.

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


Similar surnames: Neals, Neels, Neill, Neil, Neild, Neis, Eilts, Neily, Nelle, Beins

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Neils family from?

You can see how Neils families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Neils family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Neils families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 10 Neils families living in Ontario. This was about 77% of all the recorded Neils's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Neils families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Neils surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Neils ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Neils. 37% of Neils men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Neils women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Neils were Machinist and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Neils | 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, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    37%
  • Farm Labor
    13%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Machinist
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    34%
  • Typist
    17%
  • Housework
    17%
  • Housewife
    17%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Neils family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Neils. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Neils census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Neils

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Neils. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Neils immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 779 military records available for the last name Neils. For the veterans among your Neils ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Neils lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Neils life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1972, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Neils in 1963 was 73, and 90 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Neils

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