Explore the Family Name Nathan
The meaning of Nathan
1. Jewish, Assyrian/Chaldean, English, French, and German: from the Biblical personal name Natan (Nathan in English, French, and German), meaning ‘given (by God)’ in Hebrew. In Europe, the personal name was comparatively rare among non-Jews in the Middle Ages (although always common among Jews); as a modern surname it is most frequently Jewish. Sometimes this is also a Jewish short form of the personal name Jonathan or Nathaniel. 2. Indian (mainly southern states): from a personal name derived from Sanskrit nātha ‘lord’. — Note: Since South Indians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, the southern Indian name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nathan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Nathan has seen an increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 4444 and by 2010, it had climbed to a rank of 4284, reflecting an overall growth of 3.6%. In terms of count, there were 7369 individuals with the surname Nathan in 2000, which rose to 8300 in 2010 - a significant increase of 12.63%. The proportion per 100,000 people also grew slightly from 2.73 to 2.81 during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,444 | #4,284 | 3.6% |
| Count | 7,369 | 8,300 | 12.63% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.73 | 2.81 | 2.93% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nathan
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Nathan has also evolved over the same decade, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. There was a notable increase in individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity (a rise of 42.47%) and Hispanic ethnicity (a rise of 76.07%). Conversely, there was a decrease in the proportion of individuals who identified as White (a drop of 7%) and American Indian/Alaskan Native (a drop of 25%). The proportions of those identifying as Black or of two or more races remained relatively stable, with minor changes of 0.63% and 10.90% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 61.15% | 56.87% | -7% |
| Black | 26.96% | 27.13% | 0.63% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 6.64% | 9.46% | 42.47% |
| Two or More Races | 2.66% | 2.95% | 10.9% |
| Hispanic | 1.63% | 2.87% | 76.07% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.96% | 0.72% | -25% |
Nathan 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 Nathan is Ashkenazi Jewish, which comprises 35.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (18.2%) and French & German (11.2%). Additional ancestries include Southern Indian & Sri Lankan, Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, and Southern Indian Subgroup.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 35.1% |
| British & Irish | 18.2% |
| French & German | 11.2% |
| Other | 35.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Nathan
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 Nathan have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 36.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 36.30% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 35.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 35.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 35.40% |
What Nathan 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 Nathan is J-L26, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L26 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-L266, which are predominantly found among people with European and Central & South Asian ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Solomon, Schwartz, Simon, Joseph, Marks, Frank, Jacob, Abraham, Weiss, David.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Nathan surname are: M, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your 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 Nathan 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.
"Nathan" Surname 40.6%
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.
"Nathan" Surname 30.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Nathan" Surname 16.5%
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.
"Nathan" Surname 14.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Nathan?
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 Nathan are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition