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

Nance Family History

Nance Name Meaning

Americanized form of German Nantz . Cornish: habitational name from any of the places so-named in Lelant Saint Clement Illogan or Saint Martin in Meneage. The placenames derive from Middle Cornish nans ‘valley’.

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


Similar surnames: Nace, Dance, Nagle, Nice, Bence, Hence, Nine, Yanke, Janco, Bunce

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 Nance family from?

You can see how Nance families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nance family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nance families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 45 Nance families living in Tennessee. This was about 19% of all the recorded Nance's in USA. Tennessee had the highest population of Nance families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nance surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Nance ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nance. 21% of Nance men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Nance women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nance were Salesman and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Nance | 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
    21%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Truck Driver
    4%
  • Salesman
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    8%
  • Maid
    7%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nance family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 78,000 census records available for the last name Nance. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nance census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Nance

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Nance. 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 Nance immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 18,000 military records available for the last name Nance. For the veterans among your Nance ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nance military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nance family history

Discover More

What is the average Nance lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Nance life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Nance in 1942 was 33, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nance

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Nance family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Nance last name

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