Find out how popular the last name Nehls is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Nehls.

Nehls, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Nehls surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nehls in America

Nehls is the 18144th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nehls surname appeared 1,534 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Nehls.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nehls to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Nehls

The surname Nehls is of German origin and can be traced back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Low German word "neghel," which means "nail" or "spike." This could suggest that the name was initially an occupational surname given to someone who worked as a nail maker or blacksmith.

In the 14th century, the name was recorded in various forms, such as "Neghel," "Negele," and "Neghelen," in various regions of Germany, including Saxony, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg. These early records indicate that the name was already well-established in different parts of the country.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Johann Nehls, a merchant from Lübeck who lived in the late 15th century. His name appeared in several trade records and documents from that period.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname began to spread across Germany, and variations like "Nehls," "Nehlsen," and "Neelsen" emerged. Some notable individuals from this time include Hans Nehls (1550-1620), a prominent theologian and reformer from Saxony, and Margaretha Nehls (1605-1678), a writer and poet from Mecklenburg.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in various historical records, including church registers and military documents. One example is Johann Friedrich Nehls (1720-1788), a Prussian military officer who served during the Seven Years' War.

As the name spread throughout Germany, it also found its way into other parts of Europe, particularly in regions with German settlements or influences. For instance, in the 19th century, there were individuals with the surname Nehls living in the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Other notable bearers of the name include Carl Nehls (1830-1897), a German architect and urban planner who designed several landmark buildings in Berlin, and Wilhelm Nehls (1883-1954), a German politician and trade unionist who played a significant role in the labor movement during the Weimar Republic.

Throughout its history, the surname Nehls has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including craftsmen, merchants, scholars, military personnel, and political figures. While the name's origins can be traced back to an occupational role, it has since become a widespread surname across Germany and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nehls

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Nehls.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Nehls was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Nehls has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Nehls was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Nehls, please contact us.

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