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

Nellessen, 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 Nellessen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nellessen in America

Nellessen is the 63068th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nellessen surname appeared 317 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Nellessen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nellessen 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 Nellessen

The surname Nellessen has its roots in Germany, originating in the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Germanic word "Nelle," which means "brave" or "bold." The suffix "-essen" indicates a place of origin, suggesting that the name may have originated from a specific location where the earliest bearers resided.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nellessen can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the Rhineland region of Germany, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name was already established in this area during that time period.

In the 14th century, records show a family by the name of Nellessen residing in the town of Köln (Cologne), which was a prominent city in the Holy Roman Empire. The name is likely associated with this region, as it was a center of trade and commerce during the Middle Ages.

The earliest known individual with the surname Nellessen was Johann Nellessen, born in 1415 in the town of Aachen, Germany. He was a merchant and landowner, and his descendants continued to use the surname for generations.

Another notable figure was Heinrich Nellessen, born in 1562 in the city of Trier, Germany. He was a scholar and theologian who made significant contributions to the field of religious studies during the Reformation period.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Nellessen family migrated to the Netherlands, where the name was adapted to the Dutch spelling "Nelissen." One notable member of this branch was Jan Nelissen, born in 1675 in Amsterdam, who was a renowned painter and engraver.

During the 18th century, the Nellessen name appeared in various records across Germany, including census documents and parish registers. Prominent individuals from this time period include Johann Friedrich Nellessen, born in 1731 in Mainz, who was a respected jurist and legal scholar.

Another individual of note was Maria Nellessen, born in 1789 in the town of Bonn, Germany. She was a philanthropist and social reformer who dedicated her life to improving the lives of the underprivileged in her community.

Throughout its history, the surname Nellessen has been associated with various professions, from merchants and landowners to scholars and artists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who have carried this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nellessen

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

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 Nellessen 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 Nellessen 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 Nellessen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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