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Nye Family History

Nye Name Meaning

English (southern): from a misdivision of the Middle English phrase atten eye atten ye ‘at the island’ (Old English ēg īeg ‘island’) becoming atte nye. The surname may be topographic for someone who lived on an island or patch of firm ground surrounded by marsh or habitational from a place so named such as Nye in Winscombe Somerset. English: alternatively from a misdivision of the Middle English phrase atten eye atten ee ‘at the river’ (Old English ēa ‘river’) becoming atte nee. The surname may be topographic for someone who lived near a river or habitational from a place so named such as Neigh Bridge in Somerford Keynes Wiltshire. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 聶 see Nie

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


Similar surnames: Rye, Bye, Lye, Tye, Pye, Eye, Noe, Hyde, Pyle, Ayer

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 Nye family from?

You can see how Nye families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nye family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nye families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 168 Nye families living in Massachusetts. This was about 36% of all the recorded Nye's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Nye families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nye surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Nye ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nye. 15% of Nye men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Nye women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nye were Truck Driver and Housework. .

View Census Data for Nye | 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
    15%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    8%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Housework
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nye family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 126,000 census records available for the last name Nye. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nye census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Nye

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Nye. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Nye. For the veterans among your Nye ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Nye lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Nye life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Nye in 1944 was 27, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nye

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