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Nilssen Family History

Nilssen 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: Nissen, Nilsen, Nilsson, Niessen, Niesen, Riessen, Nessen, Bissen

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 Nilssen family from?

You can see how Nilssen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nilssen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Nilssen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there was 1 Nilssen family living in Iowa. This was 100% of all the recorded Nilssen's in USA. Iowa had the highest population of Nilssen families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nilssen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Nilssen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Nilssen. 46% of Nilssen men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Nilssen | 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

  • Farmer
    46%
  • Painter
    19%
  • Carpenter
    19%
  • Salesman
    19%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nilssen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 945 census records available for the last name Nilssen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nilssen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Nilssen

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Nilssen. 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 Nilssen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 194 military records available for the last name Nilssen. For the veterans among your Nilssen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nilssen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nilssen family history

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What is the average Nilssen lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Nilssen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1993, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Nilssen in 1962 was 85, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nilssen

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Nilssen family tree

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