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Nilson Family History

Nilson Name Meaning

Americanized form (and a rare Swedish variant) of Swedish Nilsson . Americanized form of Norwegian Nilsen and of Danish Norwegian or North German Nielsen all cognates of Compare Nielson . English: variant of Nielson .

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


Similar surnames: Nelson, Neilson, Ohlson, Nilsen, Nilsson, Bilson, Gillson, Lifson

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 Nilson family from?

You can see how Nilson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nilson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nilson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 89 Nilson families living in Ontario. This was about 33% of all the recorded Nilson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Nilson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nilson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Nilson ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Bookkeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Nilson. 50% of Nilson men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Nilson women worked as a Bookkeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nilson were Carpenter and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Nilson | 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
    50%
  • Laborer
    11%
  • Labourer
    7%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Bookkeeper
    15%
  • Student
    15%
  • Teacher
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    15%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nilson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 63,000 census records available for the last name Nilson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nilson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Nilson

Passenger Lists

There are 86,000 immigration records available for the last name Nilson. 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 Nilson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Nilson. For the veterans among your Nilson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nilson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nilson family history

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What is the average Nilson lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Nilson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Nilson in 1954 was 48, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nilson

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Nilson family tree

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