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Nell Family History

Nell Name Meaning

Dutch and German: from the personal name Nel a shortened form of Cornelius . South German: nickname from Middle High German nelle ‘crown of the head’ perhaps denoting an obstinate person. English: from the Middle English personal name Nelle. This may sometimes have been a variant of Nele (Nigellus see Neal ) but it was probably more often a pet form of the commoner name Elias (see Ellis ) with a prosthetic N-.

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

Similar surnames: Hell, Pell, Ell, Nill, Noll, Well, Knell, Nelle, Tell, Bell

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Where is the Nell family from?

You can see how Nell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nell families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 16 Nell families living in Manitoba. This was about 30% of all the recorded Nell's in Canada. Manitoba and 1 other province had the highest population of Nell families in 1911.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Nell

What did your Nell ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Nell | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1921

Farmer
71%
Labourer
18%
Painter
12%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

Housekeeper
100%

Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nell family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Nell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search Canadian census records for Nell
Passenger Lists
There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Nell. 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 Nell immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Nell. For the veterans among your Nell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Nell military records

Census Records

There are 27,000 census records available for the last name Nell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Nell

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Nell. 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 Nell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Nell. For the veterans among your Nell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nell family history

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What is the average Nell lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Nell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Nell in 1951 was 29, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nell

Browse profiles of historical people with the Nell last name