Explore the Family Name Nan
The meaning of Nan
1. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 南, meaning ‘south’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Nan Zhong (南仲), an official during the reign of King Xuan of Zhou (reigned 827–782 BC). (ii) from Nan (南), the name of an ancient Chinese state. The state was split into two as a result of power struggles during the middle Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). One part was located in present-day Nanyang in Henan province and annexed by the state of Xie during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC); the other was located in present-day Jingzhou in Hubei province and annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) from the second element of Zi Nan (子南), style name of Ying, son of the Duke Ling of Wey (the 28th ruler of the state of Wey, 540–493 BC). (iv) from the second element of Zi Nan (子南), style name of Zhui Shu, son of King Zhuang of Chu (ruler of the state of Chu, died 591 BC). (v) from the placename Nan Xiang (南鄉), where Gao Shi, a celebrated hermit in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC), lived. (vi) borne by some descendants of the nobles in the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 2. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 藍, see Lan 1. 3. Indian: perhaps from the name of the 8th–9th century ad dynastic kingdom Nanchao, in Burma. 4. Italian (northern): from a variant of the personal name Nanno (see Nanni), or from a variant of the personal name Nano, a pet form of Gaetano. 5. Dutch: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name, formed with the element nanth ‘courage’. Compare Nannen.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Nan' has significantly increased from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, 'Nan' ranked 44,895 in terms of popularity and saw a substantial rise to rank 30,277 by 2010, reflecting a change of approximately 32.56%. In terms of count, there were 450 individuals bearing the surname in 2000, which escalated to 773 by 2010, marking an impressive increase of roughly 71.78%. Its proportion per 100,000 also grew from 0.17 to 0.26 during this period, indicating a rise of approximately 52.94%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #44,895 | #30,277 | 32.56% |
| Count | 450 | 773 | 71.78% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.17 | 0.26 | 52.94% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nan
The Decennial U.S. Census data also reveals interesting insights about the ethnicity associated with the surname 'Nan'. Over the decade, there was a notable increase in individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity carrying the surname, from 55.78% in 2000 to 67.14% in 2010. The percentage of people identifying with two or more races slightly rose from 2.67% to 2.72%. On the other hand, the proportion of Whites with the 'Nan' surname dropped from 35.11% to 26.78%. The Hispanic population bearing this surname also saw a significant decrease from 4.44% to 1.42%. No changes were observed in the Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native populations as the percentages remained at zero for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 55.78% | 67.14% | 20.37% |
| White | 35.11% | 26.78% | -23.73% |
| Two or More Races | 2.67% | 2.72% | 1.87% |
| Hispanic | 4.44% | 1.42% | -68.02% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |