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Nells Family History

Nells Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Wells, Nell, Nelli, Mells, Nelms, Nelle, Neals, Neels, Neils, Nalls

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 Nells family from?

You can see how Nells families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nells family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nells families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 10 Nells families living in New Brunswick. This was about 29% of all the recorded Nells's in Canada. New Brunswick had the highest population of Nells families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nells surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Nells ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Nells. 56% of Nells men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Nells | 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
    56%
  • Clerk
    23%
  • Labourer
    23%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nells family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Nells

Passenger Lists

There are 439 immigration records available for the last name Nells. 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 Nells immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 252 military records available for the last name Nells. For the veterans among your Nells ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nells military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nells family history

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What is the average Nells lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2002, in the United States, Nells life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1995, and highest in 1975. The average life expectancy for Nells in 1962 was 83, and 86 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nells

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Nells family tree

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