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

Nellis, 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 Nellis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nellis in America

Nellis is the 10603rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nellis surname appeared 3,020 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 Nellis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nellis 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 Nellis

The surname Nellis is believed to have originated in Germany. It is thought to have derived from the German word "Nelle," which means "daffodil" or "narcissus." The surname may have initially been used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a field of daffodils or as a nickname for someone with a fondness for the flower.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Kirchenbuch (church records) of Wittenberg, Germany, from the 16th century. In 1572, a man named Hans Nellis was listed as a resident of the city. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time.

Another early reference to the name can be found in the records of the town of Torgau, Germany, where a family with the surname Nellis was documented in the late 16th century. The name may have originated in this region before spreading to other parts of Germany.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various records across Germany, including birth, marriage, and death registers. This indicates that the surname was becoming more established during this period.

One notable figure with the surname Nellis was Johann Nellis, a German Lutheran theologian and poet who lived from 1582 to 1631. He served as a pastor in Wittenberg and authored several religious works.

Another individual of note was Johann Jacob Nellis, a German artist and engraver who lived from 1715 to 1782. He was known for his etchings and engravings, many of which depicted landscapes and scenes from classical mythology.

In the 18th century, the surname Nellis began to spread beyond Germany. Records show families with this name settling in various parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and England.

One example is William Nellis, an English composer and organist who lived from 1743 to 1816. He was best known for his compositions for the church and his work as an organist in London.

In the 19th century, the surname Nellis began to appear in North America, likely as a result of German immigration. One notable figure from this period was John Nellis, an American politician and lawyer who lived from 1799 to 1865. He served as a member of the New York State Assembly and was involved in the anti-rent movement in upstate New York.

Another individual of note was James Nellis, an American businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1823 to 1908. He founded the Nellis & Co. iron and steel company in Philadelphia and donated money to various educational and charitable causes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nellis

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

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

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

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