2000
#53,782
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 360
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.13
Very Rare Last name
Nabarro
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "new dwelling" or "new home".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 291 Americans carry the last name Nabarro. That puts it at #80,550 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,177,850 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nabarro surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Nabarro with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
291
1 in 1,177,850
Census rank
#80,550
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
254
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 254 bearers of the surname Nabarro in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 80550th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nabarro, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (7.1%) and White (5.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nabarro
The surname Nabarro originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "navare," meaning "to work hard" or "to strive." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who was known for their diligence and hard work.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nabarro can be found in the historical records of the city of Genoa, where a family bearing this surname was documented in the 13th century. The name was particularly prominent in the regions of Liguria and Piedmont, where it is thought to have originated.
In the 14th century, a nobleman named Giovanni Nabarro was mentioned in the annals of the city of Savona, where he served as a magistrate. His son, Niccolò Nabarro, was a renowned scholar and diplomat who represented the Republic of Genoa in negotiations with other Italian city-states.
During the Renaissance period, the Nabarro family gained further prominence in the arts and literature. Pietro Nabarro (1450-1520) was a celebrated painter from Genoa, known for his religious works and portraiture. His contemporaries included the renowned artists Andrea Mantegna and Giovanni Bellini.
In the 17th century, the name Nabarro appeared in the records of the Spanish Inquisition, where a man named Tomás Nabarro was tried for his involvement in the spread of Protestant ideals in Spain. Despite facing persecution, he remained steadfast in his beliefs and became a symbol of religious dissent during that era.
Another notable figure bearing the surname Nabarro was Sir Michael Nabarro (1887-1967), a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the Governor of the Leeward Islands and the British Virgin Islands in the early 20th century. He played a crucial role in the administration of these territories during the turbulent years of World War II.
Throughout its history, the surname Nabarro has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, religious figures, and public servants. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Italy, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, carrying with it a rich legacy and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nabarro
Among Census respondents with the surname Nabarro, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (7.1%) and White (5.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Nabarro bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Nabarro surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino81.9% · 208
- Asian and Pacific Islander7.1% · 18
- White5.5% · 14
- Two or more races4.7% · 12
- Black or African American0.4% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nabarro
Nabarro appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#52,970
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 391
+31 bearers (+8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 812 places
2020
#80,550
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 254
-137 bearers (-35.0%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 27,580 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #53,782 | 360 | 0.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #52,970 | 391 | 0.13 | +31 bearers (+8.6%) | Up 812 places |
| 2020 | #80,550 | 254 | 0.08 | -137 bearers (-35.0%) | Down 27,580 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Nabarro surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #52,970 | #80,550 | -52.1% |
| Count | 391 | 254 | -35.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.08 | -34.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nabarro bearers went from 391 to 254 (-35.0% change). The surname moved down 27,580 positions in the national ranking, going from #52,970 to #80,550.
FAQ
Nabarro surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nabarro?
Name Census estimates that about 291 living Americans carry the surname Nabarro. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,177,850 residents.
How common is Nabarro?
Nabarro ranks #80,550 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 254 people with the surname Nabarro. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (291), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Nabarro.
Has Nabarro become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nabarro went from 391 recorded bearers to 254. That is a decrease of 137 (-35.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #52,970 to #80,550.
What does the Census say about the background of Nabarro?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nabarro, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (7.1%) and White (5.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Nabarro in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.9% (208 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nabarro appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (81.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (7.1%), White (5.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Nabarro (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Nabarro mean?
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "new dwelling" or "new home". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Nabarro (0.08 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Nabarro?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Nabarro on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.