Dutch: variant of Neve from neef ‘nephew cousin’. Compare Nevius . German: variant of Neff . This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine).
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
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Where is the Neef family from?
You can see how Neef families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Neef family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1840 and 1920. The most Neef families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 3 Neef families living in New York. This was about 75% of all the recorded Neef's in USA. New York had the highest population of Neef families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Neef surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
In 1940, Farmer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Neef. 28% of Neef men worked as a Farmer and 28% of Neef women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Neef were Carpenter and Housewife. .
Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Neef life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Neef in 1954 was 34, and 86 in 2004.