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Niva Family History

Niva Name Meaning

Finnish: habitational name from farms so named from niva ‘small rapids current of a river (fast-flowing part of a river)’ with reference to their location. Established as a hereditary surname since the 18th century in northern Finland.

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


Similar surnames: Neva, Riva, Piva, Nida, Nova, Niwa, Kivi, Noia, Nava, Ida

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Niva family from?

You can see how Niva families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Niva family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1891 and 1920. The most Niva families were found in USA in 1920. In 1920 there were 10 Niva families living in Michigan. This was about 27% of all the recorded Niva's in USA. Michigan had the highest population of Niva families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Niva surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Niva ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Niva. 45% of Niva men worked as a Laborer. .

View Census Data for Niva | 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

  • Laborer
    45%
  • Farmer
    25%
  • Farm Work
    10%
  • Mill Hand
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Niva family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Niva

Passenger Lists

There are 343 immigration records available for the last name Niva. 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 Niva immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 232 military records available for the last name Niva. For the veterans among your Niva ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Niva military records

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What is the average Niva lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Niva life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Niva in 1962 was 70, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Niva

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