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Nana Family History

Nana Surname Meaning

West African (Ghana): from nana a Twi (or a related dialect of the Akan language) gender-neutral title literally ‘grandparent elder ancestor’ representing a social or official position of honor.

African (Cameroon and Nigeria): unexplained.

Indian (Maharashtra): term of respect often affixed to a personal name.

Italian (Lombardy): cognate of Nan.

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


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Where is the Nana family from?

You can see how Nana families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nana family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Nana families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 4 Nana families living in Ontario. This was about 57% of all the recorded Nana's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Nana families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nana surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Nana ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nana. 43% of Nana men worked as a Farmer and 24% of Nana women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nana were Field Work and Farming.

View Census Data for Nana | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    43%
  • Laborer
    27%
  • Manager
    11%
  • Field Work
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    24%
  • Labor
    24%
  • Housekeeper
    24%
  • Farming
    16%

What Nana family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Nana. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nana census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Nana

Passenger Lists

There are 356 immigration records available for the last name Nana. 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 Nana immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 148 military records available for the last name Nana. For the veterans among your Nana ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nana military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nana family history

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What is the average Nana lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2003, in the United States, Nana life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Nana in 1942 was 40, and 86 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nana

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nana ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Nana family tree

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