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Nish Family History

Nish Name Meaning

Scottish and Irish: reduced variant of McNeese. Altered spelling of German Nisch, from a pet form of the personal name Nikolaus (see Nicholas).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Niss, Rish, Neish, Gish, Nix, Ness, Fish, Riss, Nash, Nigh

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 Nish family from?

You can see how Nish families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nish family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nish families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1840 there were 3 Nish families living in New York. This was about 60% of all the recorded Nish's in USA. New York had the highest population of Nish families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nish surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Nish ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nish. 28% of Nish men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Nish women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nish were Foreman and Secretary. .

View Census Data for Nish | 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
    28%
  • Laborer
    28%
  • Carpenter
    10%
  • Foreman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    20%
  • Farmer
    20%
  • Stenographer
    20%
  • Secretary
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nish family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Nish. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nish census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Nish

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Nish. 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 Nish immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Nish. For the veterans among your Nish ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nish military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nish family history

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What is the average Nish lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Nish life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Nish in 1961 was 51, and 57 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nish

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