Nilend History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Early Origins of the Nilend family

Early History of the Nilend family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nilend research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1570 is included under the topic Early Nilend History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nilend Spelling Variations

The Middle Ages saw a great number of spelling variations for surnames common to the Irish landscape. One reason for these variations is the fact that surnames were not rigidly fixed by this period because the general population had to rely on local official's understanding of how their name should be spelt, hence spellings in records often changed through a person's lifetime. The following variations for the name Nilend were encountered in the archives: O'Neilan, O'Neylan, Neilan, Neylan, O'Nelan and others.

Early Notables of the Nilend family

More information is included under the topic Early Nilend Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Nilend family

Ireland became inhospitable for many native Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Nilend to North America: Humphry Nelan, who arrived in America between the years 1735 and 1743; James Nelan, who arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1843; John, Johanna and Elizabeth Neilan, who all died en route to Quebec in 1847.