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Nairn Family History

Nairn Name Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Nairn (Nairns) near Inverness. The placename is taken from the River Nairn which derives from a Celtic or pre-Celtic word perhaps meaning ‘penetrating one’.

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


Similar surnames: Cain, Bain, Hain, Rain, Main, Naden, Aird, Maire, Gair, Nair

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Where is the Nairn family from?

You can see how Nairn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nairn family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Nairn families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1911 there were 30 Nairn families living in Ontario. This was about 38% of all the recorded Nairn's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Nairn families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nairn surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Nairn ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Nairn. 65% of Nairn men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Nairn | 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
    65%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Gardener
    10%
  • Longshoreman
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nairn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 32,000 census records available for the last name Nairn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nairn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Nairn

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Nairn. 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 Nairn immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Nairn military records

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What is the average Nairn lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Nairn life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 1971. The average life expectancy for Nairn in 1940 was 35, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nairn

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