History of your Surname
Get access to Nelke family records.Start a free trial

Nelke Family History

Nelke 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: Belke, Oelke, Nelle, Welke, Neske, Selke, Noelke, Helke, Neve, Berke

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Nelke family from?

You can see how Nelke families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nelke family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Nelke families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 12 Nelke families living in New York. This was about 23% of all the recorded Nelke's in USA. New York had the highest population of Nelke families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nelke surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Nelke ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Labor and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nelke. 34% of Nelke men worked as a Labor and 100% of Nelke women worked as a Laborer. .

View Census Data for Nelke | 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

  • Labor
    34%
  • Salesman
    34%
  • Cook
    17%
  • Carpenter
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nelke family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Nelke

Passenger Lists

There are 306 immigration records available for the last name Nelke. 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 Nelke immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 616 military records available for the last name Nelke. For the veterans among your Nelke ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nelke military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nelke family history

Discover More

What is the average Nelke lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Nelke life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Nelke in 1963 was 81, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nelke

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Nelke family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Nelke last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial