Find out how popular the last name Nahan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Nahan.

Nahan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Nahan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nahan in America

Nahan is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nahan surname appeared 109 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Nahan.

The history of the last name Nahan

The surname Nahan originated in India during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "nahan," which means "protection" or "shelter." This surname was likely first adopted by members of a family or clan who provided protection or shelter to others.

The name Nahan can be traced back to the 12th century in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the areas now known as Punjab and Haryana. Early records show variations in spelling, such as Nahan, Nahun, and Nahaun.

One of the earliest references to the name Nahan can be found in the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This document mentions a town called Nahan, which was likely named after a person or family with the surname Nahan.

The first recorded bearer of the name Nahan was Raja Karan Prakash Nahan, who ruled the princely state of Sirmur (now part of Himachal Pradesh) in the early 17th century. Another notable figure was Rani Raj Kaur Nahan, who governed the state of Sirmur in the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Nahan family played a significant role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British East India Company. Maharaja Shamsher Singh Nahan was a prominent leader who fought alongside other rulers to regain control of their territories.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Nahan was Prithvi Raj Nahan (1835-1904), a renowned poet and writer from Punjab. His works, including the epic poem "Raj Putri," are considered masterpieces of Punjabi literature.

Other notable figures with the surname Nahan include:

1. Gurdas Ram Nahan (1886-1959), an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer.
2. Jagadamba Prasad Nahan (1875-1940), a pioneering Indian educationist and founder of several schools.
3. Karan Singh Nahan (1915-1988), an Indian politician and member of the Constituent Assembly of India.
4. Mohan Singh Nahan (1909-1978), a renowned Punjabi writer and recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award.
5. Satya Devi Nahan (1904-1983), a social activist and pioneering figure in the women's rights movement in India.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nahan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Nahan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Nahan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Nahan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Nahan, please contact us.

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