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

Nissen Family History

Nissen Name Meaning

North German and Danish: patronymic from the personal name Nis a variant of Nils (see Nicholas ). Compare Nessen and Nisson . Dutch: shortened form of Denissen a patronymic from the personal name Dionysius (see Dennis ). Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish male personal name Nisn from Hebrew nisan the Jewish month during which Passover takes place originally given to boys born in that month. Compare Nissan .

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


Similar surnames: Nissan, Niesen, Nilsen, Nessen, Niessen, Ipsen, Jessen, Bissen

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 Nissen family from?

You can see how Nissen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nissen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nissen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 3 Nissen families living in North Carolina. This was 100% of all the recorded Nissen's in USA. North Carolina had the highest population of Nissen families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nissen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Nissen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nissen. 25% of Nissen men worked as a Farmer and 10% of Nissen women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nissen were Carpenter and Housework. .

View Census Data for Nissen | 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
    25%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    10%
  • Stenographer
    10%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Housework
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nissen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Nissen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nissen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Nissen

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Nissen. 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 Nissen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Nissen. For the veterans among your Nissen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nissen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nissen family history

Discover More

What is the average Nissen lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Nissen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Nissen in 1948 was 44, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nissen

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Nissen family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Nissen last name

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