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Nelan Family History

Nelan Name Meaning

Irish: variant of Nealon from Ó Nialláin.

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


Similar surnames: Nilan, Felan, Tolan, Neilan, Nolan, Kean, Neman, Dean, Gean, Near

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 Nelan family from?

You can see how Nelan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nelan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nelan families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Nelan family living in Ohio. This was about 50% of all the recorded Nelan's in USA. Ohio and 1 other state had the highest population of Nelan families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nelan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Nelan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nelan. 21% of Nelan men worked as a Laborer and 19% of Nelan women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nelan were Truck Driver and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Nelan | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    21%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Carpenter
    8%
  • Truck Driver
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    19%
  • Teacher
    19%
  • Bookkeeper
    16%
  • Housewife
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nelan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Nelan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nelan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Nelan

Passenger Lists

There are 972 immigration records available for the last name Nelan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Nelan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 464 military records available for the last name Nelan. For the veterans among your Nelan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nelan military records

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What is the average Nelan lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Nelan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1977, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Nelan in 1961 was 52, and 90 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nelan

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