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

Nairn, 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 Nairn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nairn in America

Nairn is the 25620th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nairn surname appeared 963 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 Nairn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nairn to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Nairn

The surname Nairn originates from Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the town of Nairn, located in the Highlands region of Scotland. The name is believed to have evolved from the Gaelic words "an Earrann," meaning "the territory" or "the share," referring to the land granted to the progenitors of the Nairn family.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Nairn can be traced back to a charter from King William the Lion of Scotland in 1189, where a person named William de Nairn is mentioned. This suggests that the Nairn family had established itself as landowners in the area by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Nairn family played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence against England. One notable figure was Sir Robert Nairn, who fought alongside William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Sir Robert Nairn's name is documented in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish noblemen who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

During the 14th century, the Nairn family continued to hold lands and influence in the Highlands. In 1368, a charter from King David II mentions a John de Nairn as the owner of the lands of Nairn.

In the 16th century, the Nairn family produced several notable figures. One of the most prominent was Sir Thomas Nairn (c. 1520-1590), who served as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and played a crucial role in the Reformation in Scotland.

Another influential Nairn was Sir Robert Nairn (1628-1683), a Scottish politician and judge who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Lord of Session. He was also a member of the Scottish Parliament and played a significant role in the negotiations that led to the Act of Union in 1707.

In the 18th century, the Nairn family continued to hold positions of influence. Sir William Nairn (1755-1828) was a Scottish politician and Member of Parliament for the Burgh of Nairn.

The 19th century saw several notable Nairns, including Sir Michael Nairn (1804-1858), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland, and Sir Charles Nairn (1808-1882), a British naval officer and colonial administrator who served as the Lieutenant Governor of the Cape Colony in South Africa.

Throughout history, the surname Nairn has been associated with Scotland, particularly the Highlands region, and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including politics, law, and military service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nairn

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

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 Nairn 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Nairn has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Nairn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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