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Nilsson Family History

Nilsson Name Meaning

Swedish and German: patronymic from the personal name Nils a shortened form of Nikolaus. Compare Nilson Neilson 3 and Nielson

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


Similar surnames: Nilsen, Nissen, Olsson, Ohlsson, Wilson, Nelson, Niessen, Nickson

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 Nilsson family from?

You can see how Nilsson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nilsson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Nilsson families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 22 Nilsson families living in Alberta. This was about 96% of all the recorded Nilsson's in Canada. Alberta had the highest population of Nilsson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nilsson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Nilsson ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Nilsson. 85% of Nilsson men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Nilsson | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    85%
  • Buanderie
    16%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nilsson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Nilsson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nilsson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Nilsson

Passenger Lists

There are 133,000 immigration records available for the last name Nilsson. 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 Nilsson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Nilsson. For the veterans among your Nilsson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nilsson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nilsson family history

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What is the average Nilsson lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Nilsson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Nilsson in 1946 was 37, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nilsson

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