NameCensus.

UK surname

Nellis

Derived from a medieval form of Neil, which ultimately comes from the Gaelic name Niall, meaning "champion."

In the 1881 census there were 143 people recorded with the Nellis surname, ranking it #15,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 366, ranked #12,690, up from #15,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Pickering and Bonhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle upon Tyne, Scarborough and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nellis is 387 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 155.9%.

1881 census count

143

Ranked #15,955

Modern count

366

2016, ranked #12,690

Peak year

2010

387 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nellis had 143 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016, ranked #12,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 215 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Nellis surname distribution map

The map shows where the Nellis surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Nellis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nellis over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 72 #20,720
1861 historical 102 #20,797
1881 historical 143 #15,955
1891 historical 202 #14,808
1901 historical 215 #14,478
1911 historical 168 #16,620
1997 modern 328 #12,758
1998 modern 354 #12,438
1999 modern 359 #12,397
2000 modern 351 #12,534
2001 modern 342 #12,566
2002 modern 353 #12,512
2003 modern 328 #13,026
2004 modern 336 #12,848
2005 modern 328 #12,992
2006 modern 344 #12,600
2007 modern 343 #12,773
2008 modern 344 #12,874
2009 modern 366 #12,534
2010 modern 387 #12,301
2011 modern 367 #12,647
2012 modern 348 #13,020
2013 modern 352 #13,130
2014 modern 365 #12,853
2015 modern 363 #12,793
2016 modern 366 #12,690

Geography

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Where Nellis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Pickering, Bonhill, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle upon Tyne, Scarborough and Doncaster. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Darlington Durham
2 Pickering Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Bonhill Dunbarton
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle upon Tyne 004 Newcastle upon Tyne
2 Scarborough 002 Scarborough
3 Doncaster 016 Doncaster
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 025 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 Scarborough 001 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nellis

These lists show first names that appear often with the Nellis surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nellis

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Nellis, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Nellis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Nellis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Nellis is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nellis is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nellis falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nellis is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Nellis, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of 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.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nellis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nellis surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 46 Nellis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.30x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 46 3.30x
Northumberland 21 10.05x
Lanarkshire 16 3.52x
Middlesex 16 1.14x
Durham 10 2.39x
Renfrewshire 10 9.19x
Surrey 10 1.46x
Dunbartonshire 6 15.89x
Midlothian 4 2.13x
Angus 1 0.77x
Ayrshire 1 0.95x
Essex 1 0.36x
Fife 1 1.20x
Royal Navy 1 5.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tynemouth in Northumberland leads with 11 Nellis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.30x.

Place Total Index
Tynemouth 11 98.30x
West Greenock 10 51.18x
Darlington 9 55.80x
Pickering 9 514.29x
Barony 8 6.96x
Westgate 8 61.82x
Scarborough 7 55.34x
Old Kilpatrick 6 134.53x
St Botolph Aldgate 6 312.50x
Camberwell 5 5.57x
Paddington London 5 9.68x
Chelsea London 4 9.45x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 5.28x
Falsgrave 4 195.12x
Old Monkland 4 22.19x
Pannal 4 298.51x
Thornton Dale 4 1081.08x
West Ayton 4 1818.18x
Leatherhead 3 175.44x
Brompton In Scarborough 2 606.06x
Elswick 2 11.99x
Hackness 2 2000.00x
Shettleston 2 49.14x
Acklam With Barthorpe 1 714.29x
Brandesburton 1 277.78x
Clapham 1 5.69x
Croft 1 384.62x
Dundee 1 2.06x
Dunfermline 1 7.82x
Glasgow 1 1.24x
Govan 1 0.89x
Hackney London 1 1.27x
Heworth 1 12.15x
Holy Trinity 1 2.99x
Largs 1 40.32x
New Malton 1 60.24x
Pickering Marishes 1 666.67x
Richmond 1 10.43x
Royal Navy 1 6.99x
Seamer In Scarborough 1 222.22x
Sutton On Forest 1 357.14x
Thixendale 1 833.33x
Waltham Holy Cross 1 38.61x
Wykeham 1 357.14x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Nellis surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Nellis surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 11
John 8
William 5
Charles 4
Thomas 4
Edmondson 2
Francis 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Boyes 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Gerald 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
James 1
Jonathan 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Ralph 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Nellis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nellis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 143 people were recorded with the Nellis surname. That placed it at #15,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nellis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016. That gives Nellis a modern rank of #12,690.

What does the Nellis surname mean?

Derived from a medieval form of Neil, which ultimately comes from the Gaelic name Niall, meaning "champion."

What does the Nellis map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Nellis bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.