Explore the Family Name Nash
The meaning of Nash
1. English: topographic name for someone who lived by an ash tree, a variant of Ash by misdivision of Middle English atten ash ‘at the ash’, or a habitational name from any of the many places in England and Wales named Nash, from this phrase, as for example Nash in Buckinghamshire, Herefordshire, or Shropshire. The name was established from an early date in Wales and Ireland. 2. Jewish: possibly an Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames. History: The surname Nash was taken to Ireland from England or Wales by a family who established themselves in County Kerry in the 13th century, during the second wave of Anglo-Norman settlement. — Abner Nash (c.1740–86), governor of NC, was of Welsh origin, his parents having emigrated to VA from Wales in 1730. His brother Francis (c.1742–77) was a general in the Continental army; the city of Nashville, TN, was named in his honor.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nash in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the Nash surname has seen a steady increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 601st most common surname, while in 2010, it moved up to the 569th position, indicating a 5.32% rise. The number of individuals identified with the Nash surname also demonstrated growth in this decade, increasing by 15.08% from 51,021 to 58,714. Moreover, the proportion of people named Nash per 100,000 population increased by 5.24%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #601 | #569 | 5.32% |
| Count | 51,021 | 58,714 | 15.08% |
| Proportion per 100k | 18.91 | 19.9 | 5.24% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nash
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that there was a slight shift in the ethnic identity tied to the Nash surname from 2000 to 2010. The largest percentage of Nash's still predominantly identified as White, although this decreased by 4.01% from 72.24% to 69.34%. The second largest group identified as Black, which saw a 4.63% increase from 23.53% to 24.62%. Meanwhile, those identifying as Hispanic had the most significant growth at 69.63%, albeit they still represented a small portion of the Nash surname bearers. The groups identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw increases of 10.42%, 45.51%, and 11.11% respectively, but each group constituted less than 3% of those with the Nash surname.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 72.24% | 69.34% | -4.01% |
| Black | 23.53% | 24.62% | 4.63% |
| Two or More Races | 1.67% | 2.43% | 45.51% |
| Hispanic | 1.35% | 2.29% | 69.63% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.72% | 0.8% | 11.11% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 0.53% | 10.42% |
Nash 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 Nash is British & Irish, which comprises 52.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.9%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (4.1%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Italian, Nigerian, and Spanish & Portuguese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.0% |
| French & German | 19.9% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 4.1% |
| Other | 24.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Nash
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 Nash have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 83.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 82.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 82.00% |
What Nash 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 Nash is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-U152 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hawkins, West, Harrison, Knight, Norris, Davis, Schafer, Edwards, Baker, Dixon.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Nash surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Nash 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.
"Nash" Surname 39.8%
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.
"Nash" Surname 28.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Nash" Surname 20.8%
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.
"Nash" Surname 18.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Nash?
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 Nash are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition