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

Nale, 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 Nale surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nale in America

Nale is the 15340th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nale surname appeared 1,912 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Nale.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nale 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 Nale

The surname NALE is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is likely derived from the Old English word "naele," meaning "nail" or "spike," suggesting that the name may have referred to a nail-maker or someone who worked with nails or spikes.

One of the earliest documented references to the name NALE can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, dated around 1273, which mentions a person named Walter Nale. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the NALE surname appeared in various records across England, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, which listed a John Nale. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also mentioned a William Nale, indicating the name's presence in different parts of the country.

During the 15th century, the NALE surname continued to spread throughout England. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1428, a Thomas Nale was recorded. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524 included an entry for a John Nale.

One notable historical figure with the NALE surname was Robert Nale (c. 1490-1563), a Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in Horsham, Sussex, during the reign of Queen Mary I for his religious beliefs.

In the 17th century, the NALE surname appeared in various parish records and legal documents. For example, the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire, recorded the baptism of John Nale in 1642.

Another individual of note was William Nale (1653-1730), a prominent English merchant and member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in Bristol. He played a significant role in the city's trading and shipping industry.

As the name spread across England, it also appeared in various place names and locations. For instance, Nale Hill in Cambridgeshire and Nale's Green in Cheshire may have derived their names from individuals bearing the NALE surname.

Throughout its history, the NALE surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Naile, Nayle, and Nail, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings in earlier times.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nale

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

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

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

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