Explore the Family Name Nair
The meaning of Nair
1. Indian (Kerala): from Malayalam nāyar ‘leader, lord’ (from Sanskrit nāya(ka) ‘leader’ + the honorific plural ending -r). The Nayars were regarded as protectors of the land. Compare Nayar and Nayyar. 2. Scottish: shortened form of McNair. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Hari, Suresh, Radhakrishnan, Vinod, Rajesh, Mohan, Satish, Chandra, Usha, Balachandran, Gopal, Krishna.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nair in the United States?
Popularity data based on the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the surname Nair has significantly risen in popularity over the decade between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Nair was the 8185th most common surname, with a count of 3728 individuals. However, by 2010, it had jumped to the 4719th spot, nearly halving its rank, while more than doubling its representation to 7513 individuals. This represents an impressive change of 42.35% in rank and an over 100% increase in count. The proportion per 100k also saw a substantial rise from 1.38 to 2.55, marking an 84.78% growth.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,185 | #4,719 | 42.35% |
| Count | 3,728 | 7,513 | 101.53% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.38 | 2.55 | 84.78% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nair
The ethnicity table, also based on the Decennial U.S. Census, presents an interesting shift in the ethnic identity associated with the Nair surname. The largest group remained Asian/Pacific Islanders who accounted for 76.80% in 2000 and rose to 84.17% by 2010, indicating a 9.60% growth. In comparison, those identifying as white dropped from 15.53% to 10.29%, a decline of 33.74%. Individuals of two or more races also saw a decrease from 4.94% to 3.26%. However, both Hispanic and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups experienced growths, albeit on a smaller scale at 41.30% and 37.14%, respectively. On the other hand, the percentage of Black individuals bearing the Nair surname fell from 1.93% to 1.14%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 76.8% | 84.17% | 9.6% |
| White | 15.53% | 10.29% | -33.74% |
| Two or More Races | 4.94% | 3.26% | -34.01% |
| Black | 1.93% | 1.14% | -40.93% |
| Hispanic | 0.46% | 0.65% | 41.3% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.35% | 0.48% | 37.14% |
Nair ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Nair is Southern Indian Subgroup, which comprises 37.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Malayali Subgroup (22.4%) and Southern Indian & Sri Lankan (20.6%). Additional ancestries include British & Irish, Northern Indian & Pakistani, French & German, Eastern European, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Southern Indian Subgroup | 37.0% |
| Malayali Subgroup | 22.4% |
| Southern Indian & Sri Lankan | 20.6% |
| Other | 20.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Nair
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Nair have recent ancestry locations in India and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Kerala, India | 80.00% |
| Tamil Nadu, India | 77.00% |
| Karnataka, India | 69.00% |
| Andhra Pradesh, India | 42.50% |
| Maharashtra, India | 30.00% |
What Nair haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Nair is L-M27, which is predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian ancestry. Haplogroup L-M27 is descended from haplogroup L-M20. Other common haplogroups include R-M417 and R-Y6, which are predominantly found among people with European and Central & South Asian ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Rao, Hussain, Mehta, Ahmad, Sheikh, Kumar, Desai, Sharma, Khan, Ahmed.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Nair surname are: M35a1, U1a3, R. These most commonly trace back to individuals of Central & South Asian and European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins L-M20
Your paternal lineage may be linked to many Lebanese people
Haplogroup L-M27 is represented in major religious populations within Lebanon, including both Lebanese Maronite and Muslim groups. It has been discovered that Lebanese Maronite populations are genetically distinct from Lebanese Muslim populations. This may mean that Lebanese Muslim groups are descendants of populations from the Arabian Peninsula who were involved in the Islamic expansion in the 7th century CE. On the other hand, Lebanese Maronite groups are likely descendants of western European populations involved in the Crusades during the 11th-13th centuries CE.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Yu Hong
During the 6th century AD the Persian Empire controlled trade along the Silk Road through its Central Asian province of Sogdiana, providing a vital trade link between China and Europe. Evidence suggests there was a genetic connection as well. Researchers extracted DNA from the remains of a chieftain named Yu Hong, who was buried about 200 miles southwest of Beijing in 592 AD. His burial epitaph indicated that Yu Hong had Central Asian ancestry — and his DNA revealed an even more exotic background. Yu Hong's mitochondrial DNA belonged to the U5 haplogroup, a branch of U that is concentrated in Europe. This haplogroup assignment is a sure sign that he had European ancestors on his mother's side, and demonstrated the vast range of haplogroup U from the west to the east.
What do people with the surname Nair have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Nair" Surname 28.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Nair" Surname 24.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Nair" Surname 19.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Nair" Surname 11.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Nair?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Nair are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition