Explore the Family Name Nur
The meaning of Nur
Muslim: from a personal name based on Arabic nūr ‘light, illumination’. Al-Nūr ‘the Light’ is an attribute of Allah, giving rise to the compound name ʿAbd al-Nūr, ʿAbdul-Nūr (see Abdelnour). The word nūr is also found in combinations such as Nūr-Allāh or Nurullāh ‘Light of Allah’, Nūr ud-Dīn or Nuruddin ‘Light of Religion’. Compare Noor, Nor, and Nour.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nur in the United States?
The surname Nur saw a significant increase in popularity according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the surname was ranked 31,704th and by 2010, it had risen to 15,857th, a change of approximately 50%. The count of individuals with this surname also increased dramatically from 689 in 2000 to 1,835 in 2010, representing a growth of over 166%. Furthermore, the proportion of people named Nur per 100,000 jumped from 0.26 to 0.62 during the same decade, marking an increase of more than 138%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,704 | #15,857 | 49.98% |
| Count | 689 | 1,835 | 166.33% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.62 | 138.46% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nur
As the Decennial U.S. Census data shows, there were changes in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Nur between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian or Pacific Islander rose from 5.81% to 7.08%, an increase of 21.86%. However, those identifying as part of two or more races dropped significantly from 18.00% to 2.34%. Similarly, the proportion of individuals with the surname Nur who identified as white decreased by 36.43%, going down from 7.11% to 4.52%. The Hispanic community saw a new emergence with 1.25% identifying with the surname. The data also shows an increase in the black community from 66.33% to 84.47%, suggesting a growth of 27.35%. Lastly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native community began to identify with the surname Nur at 0.33%, where previously there were no records.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 66.33% | 84.47% | 27.35% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 5.81% | 7.08% | 21.86% |
| White | 7.11% | 4.52% | -36.43% |
| Two or More Races | 18% | 2.34% | -87% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.25% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.33% | 0% |