2000
#12,343
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,309
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.86
Rare Last name
Nader
Derived from the Arabic word meaning "rare," "unique," or "precious," and referring to someone with those qualities.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,054 Americans carry the last name Nader. That puts it at #11,329 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.89 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 112,231 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nader 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 Nader with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.1K
1 in 112,231
Census rank
#11,329
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,663 bearers of the surname Nader in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.89 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11329th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nader, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nader
The surname NADER has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is believed to have emerged in the Middle East, particularly in regions where Arabic was the predominant language, such as the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and parts of the Levant.
NADER is derived from the Arabic word "nadir," which means "rare" or "precious." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive term used to refer to someone or something that was considered rare or valuable.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname NADER can be traced back to the medieval period, particularly in Arabic manuscripts and historical records from the 9th to the 13th centuries. During this time, the use of surnames became more common, and NADER likely transitioned from being a descriptive term to a hereditary family name.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname NADER was Nader Shah, a Persian ruler and military leader who reigned from 1736 to 1747. He is renowned for his conquest of much of the Iranian Plateau and his efforts to revive the Persian Empire.
Another prominent individual with the surname NADER was Kamal al-Din Nader, a 13th-century Persian poet and philosopher who was known for his contributions to Sufi literature and his influential works on mysticism.
In the 20th century, Ralph Nader, an American political activist, author, and consumer advocate, gained international recognition for his efforts in promoting consumer rights and advocating for safer products and corporate accountability. He was born in 1934 and played a significant role in the consumer protection movement.
Salma Nader, an Egyptian actress and singer, was another notable figure with this surname. She was born in 1937 and had a successful career in Egyptian cinema, appearing in numerous films and television shows throughout the latter half of the 20th century.
Anwar Nader, an Iraqi artist and sculptor, was also a prominent figure with this surname. Born in 1950, he is known for his unique artistic style that blends traditional Iraqi influences with modern techniques, and his works have been exhibited internationally.
While the surname NADER has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, it remains most prevalent in regions with historical ties to the Arabic-speaking world, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nader
Among Census respondents with the surname Nader, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Nader 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 Nader surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.9% · 2,181
- Hispanic or Latino9.3% · 248
- Two or more races3.8% · 100
- Black or African American2.5% · 67
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.4% · 65
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nader
Nader 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
#11,168
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,833
+524 bearers (+22.7%)
Per 100,000 0.96
Rank movement Up 1,175 places
2020
#11,329
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,663
-170 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.89
Rank movement Down 161 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,343 | 2,309 | 0.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,168 | 2,833 | 0.96 | +524 bearers (+22.7%) | Up 1,175 places |
| 2020 | #11,329 | 2,663 | 0.89 | -170 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 161 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 Nader 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 | #11,168 | #11,329 | -1.4% |
| Count | 2,833 | 2,663 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.96 | 0.89 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nader bearers went from 2,833 to 2,663 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 161 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,168 to #11,329.
FAQ
Nader surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nader?
Name Census estimates that about 3,054 living Americans carry the surname Nader. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 112,231 residents.
How common is Nader?
Nader ranks #11,329 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.89 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,663 people with the surname Nader. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,054), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.89 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.89 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Nader.
Has Nader become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nader went from 2,833 recorded bearers to 2,663. That is a decrease of 170 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,168 to #11,329.
What does the Census say about the background of Nader?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nader, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (3.8%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Nader in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.9% (2,181 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nader appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.9%), Hispanic (9.3%), Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Nader (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 Nader mean?
Derived from the Arabic word meaning "rare," "unique," or "precious," and referring to someone with those qualities. 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 Nader (0.89 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 many people share the surname Nader?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.