2000
#127,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Nakash
A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "engraver" or "sculptor."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 205 Americans carry the last name Nakash. That puts it at #106,101 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,671,972 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nakash 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.
Bearers in the US
205
1 in 1,671,972
Census rank
#106,101
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
179
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 179 bearers of the surname Nakash in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 106101st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nakash, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nakash
The surname NAKASH has its origins in the Middle East, with the earliest records dating back to the 7th century AD. It is believed to have derived from the Arabic word "Naqash," which translates to "engraver" or "carver." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who worked as engravers or artisans in the early Islamic world.
One of the earliest known references to the name NAKASH can be found in the writings of the renowned Arab scholar and traveler, Ibn Battuta, who lived in the 14th century. In his accounts, he mentions meeting individuals with the surname NAKASH during his travels through various regions of the Middle East and North Africa.
The name NAKASH has also been associated with various notable figures throughout history. One such individual was Abu al-Hasan Ali al-Nakash, a renowned calligrapher and artist who lived in Baghdad during the 10th century. His works were highly acclaimed, and he is considered one of the masters of Arabic calligraphy.
Another notable figure with the surname NAKASH was Yahya al-Nakash, a Jewish scholar and poet who lived in Baghdad in the 11th century. He was renowned for his poetic works and his contributions to Jewish literature and philosophy.
In the 12th century, there are records of a family named NAKASH residing in the city of Aleppo, in present-day Syria. This family was known for their expertise in metalworking and engraving, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the art of engraving.
During the Ottoman Empire, the surname NAKASH was also found among various communities in the Levant region, particularly in areas such as Lebanon and Palestine. Some historical records mention individuals with the surname NAKASH residing in cities like Beirut and Jerusalem.
It is worth noting that variations in the spelling of the surname NAKASH may have occurred over time and across different regions. For instance, some records may have used alternative spellings such as "Nakkash" or "Naqqash."
While the surname NAKASH is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of the Middle East, serving as a testament to the region's history and the importance of artisanship and engraving in its traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nakash
Among Census respondents with the surname Nakash, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Nakash 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 Nakash surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.7% · 157
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.5% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 6
- Two or more races3.4% · 6
- Black or African American0.6% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nakash
Nakash 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
#105,079
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 170
+46 bearers (+37.1%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 22,107 places
2020
#106,101
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 179
+9 bearers (+5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 1,022 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,186 | 124 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #105,079 | 170 | 0.06 | +46 bearers (+37.1%) | Up 22,107 places |
| 2020 | #106,101 | 179 | 0.06 | +9 bearers (+5.3%) | Down 1,022 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 Nakash 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 | #105,079 | #106,101 | -1.0% |
| Count | 170 | 179 | 5.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | -0.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nakash bearers went from 170 to 179 (+5.3% change). The surname moved down 1,022 positions in the national ranking, going from #105,079 to #106,101.
FAQ
Nakash surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nakash?
Name Census estimates that about 205 living Americans carry the surname Nakash. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,671,972 residents.
How common is Nakash?
Nakash ranks #106,101 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 179 people with the surname Nakash. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (205), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Nakash.
Has Nakash become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nakash went from 170 recorded bearers to 179. That is an increase of 9 (+5.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #105,079 to #106,101.
What does the Census say about the background of Nakash?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nakash, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Nakash in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.7% (157 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nakash appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.5%), Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Nakash (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 Nakash mean?
A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "engraver" or "sculptor." 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 Nakash (0.06 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 Nakash?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.