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Neilson Family History

Neilson Name Meaning

English and Scottish: variant of Nielson 1 or an Anglicized form of McNeil . English: variant of Nelson . Americanized form of Swedish Nilsson or Danish Norwegian and North German Nielsen (compare Neilsen ) or Nilsen . Compare also Nelson and Nielson .

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


Similar surnames: Nelson, Nilson, Kelson, Newlon, Eidson, Wilson, Nilsson, Neils

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 Neilson family from?

You can see how Neilson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Neilson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Neilson families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1911 there were 252 Neilson families living in Ontario. This was about 42% of all the recorded Neilson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Neilson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Neilson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Neilson ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Neilson. 40% of Neilson men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Neilson women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Neilson were Carpenter and School Teacher. .

View Census Data for Neilson | 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
    40%
  • Labourer
    10%
  • Laborer
    8%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    15%
  • Nurse
    13%
  • Housekeeper
    13%
  • School Teacher
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Neilson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 122,000 census records available for the last name Neilson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Neilson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Neilson

Passenger Lists

There are 46,000 immigration records available for the last name Neilson. 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 Neilson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Neilson. For the veterans among your Neilson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Neilson military records

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What is the average Neilson lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Neilson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Neilson in 1948 was 31, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Neilson

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