Surname Nelles - Meaning and Origin
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Nelles: What does the surname Nelles mean?
The last name Nelles is believed to have originated in Germany. It is thought to have derived from the Middle High German word, “nelle”, which means “narrow clearing”. This is derived from the German word “nele”, which means to “cut down to make a clearing”.
The surname may have derived from people who lived near a clearing that had been already established or who had cleared a specific area of forest. In this case, the surname likely originated prior to the 16th century.
Nelles is a common surname in various parts of Germany. Some people with this surname have also migrated to the United States. One of the earliest documented records of the name is the marriage between Jacob Nelles and Anna Maria Schick, which took place in 1719.
Other notable individuals, families, and places that have the Nelles surname include:Major General Charles G. Nelles, Herman Nelles, the Richard M. Nelles Youth Correctional Facility in Whittier, California, and the Nelles Corners TV transmitter in Aylmer, Canada.
Overall, the surname Nelles is likely rooted in a long-standing German history of the early clearing of land. It has come to signify a family of strong individuals with a history that spans multiple countries.
Order DNA origin analysisNelles: Where does the name Nelles come from?
The last name Nelles is quite common today, although it is most concentrated in German-speaking countries. In particular, the name is common in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, as well as areas of the United States with large German-speaking populations, such as Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio.
Within Germany, Nelles is most common in the states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and North Rhine-Westphalia. However, it is also heard throughout the country, especially in the South and in larger cities.
In Switzerland, Nelles is particularly common in the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Solothurn, St Gallen, and Zürich. In Austria, it is especially common in the states of Burgenland, Lower Austria, and Upper Austria.
In the US, the Nelles surname is most commonly found in Pennsylvania and Ohio, particularly in the states’ biggest cities, such as Philadelphia and Cleveland. In Canada, the surname is most commonly found in Ontario.
Overall, the last name Nelles has been around for centuries and is still widely distributed today, with concentrations in many German-speaking areas.
Variations of the surname Nelles
The surname Nelles has a number of different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include Neeles, Neele, Neeleman, Nele, and Neelen.
The Netherlands also has three versions of the Nelles surname which are spelled as Nelis, Nellis, and Nelissen. The Nellis and Nelissen versions are seen most often in Dutch records.
In England, the surname is found mostly as Nelles. It is also occasionally seen defaulted to the Anglicised version of Neale, Neales or Neal. Neile has also been documented as an English spelling.
In France, the surname Nelles is generally found in the form of Nel. Nelle and Nelli also occur as variant spellings.
The Nelles surname originally derived from the old German nickname ‘Nol’ or ‘Nohl’, which meant a person who came from a prominent family or of noble birth. It is also possible that the surname could be derived from the Dutch or German word for Christmas, ‘Noel’.
In Scotland, a variation of Neall can be seen. This was most likely derived from the old Celtic personal name Niall, which meant ‘champion’. This surname is also sometimes spelled as Neil.
The Nelles surname is also found in New Zealand, in the form of Nelly, Neale, Neil and Neilsen.
Overall, it is clear that the surname Nelles has numerous versions, spellings, and surnames of the same origin from different countries.
Famous people with the name Nelles
- Clifton Nelles: Clifton was a Canadian civil servant in the 1940s, best known for his influential role in the reorganization of Canada’s public service departments. He is credited with introducing an index-based system for classifying government documents, which is still widely in use today.
- Martha Nelles: Martha was a Canadian women's rights activist in the 1950s and 1960s. She was a founding member of the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the founding president of the Canadian Association of the United Nations. She wrote several books and articles about her experience advocating for women's rights, and her work is still studied today.
- Thelma Nelles: Thelma was a Canadian politician in the 1970s and 1980s. She was the first woman elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1977, and the first woman to lead a Canadian political party when she was appointed leader of the Ontario Liberal Party in 1982.
- John Nelles: John was a Canadian doctor in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He was an early supporter of public health care and authored several works outlining the benefits of preventive health and the establishment of public health departments in Canada.
- Richard Nelles: Richard is a Canadian musician, best known for his contributions to the folk music scene in the 1970s and 80s. He was a founding member of the Canadian folk group Celtic Frost and is widely credited with introducing a new sound to the Canadian folk music genre.
- Alex Nelles: Alex is a Canadian entrepreneur and software engineer, best known for founding the software startup Wetin. He is now the CEO and has been credited with transforming the company from a small bootstrapped startup into a leading ed-tech platform.