2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Nalker
From old English, a surname referring to one who walked barefoot.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Nalker. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nalker 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Nalker in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nalker, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Black (6.7%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nalker
The surname Nalker has its origins in medieval England, with records indicating its presence as early as the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "naele" and "cru," which together signify "a maker of nails." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely involved in the profession of nail-making, a crucial trade during those times.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nalker surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated around 1273, where a certain Roger le Naylere is mentioned. The use of the prefix "le" before the occupational name was a common practice in medieval England, indicating an individual's trade or profession.
In the 14th century, the Nalker surname appeared in various spellings, such as Nayler, Naylor, and Nailour, reflecting the evolving orthography of the time. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the individual scribe's interpretation.
One notable figure bearing the Nalker surname was John Naylor, a prominent English Puritan preacher and writer who lived from 1615 to 1692. He was known for his fierce opposition to the Church of England and his support for the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.
Another individual of historical significance was James Naylor (1617-1660), a controversial Quaker leader who was famously accused of blasphemy for his grandiose claims and entry into Bristol in imitation of Christ's entry into Jerusalem. His trial and subsequent punishment, including public whipping and branding, sparked debates about religious tolerance in 17th century England.
In the realm of literature, the surname Nalker is associated with the English poet and dramatist James Naylor (1792-1830), who is best known for his play "The Immortal" and his contributions to the Romantic movement.
Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure was George Naylor (1825-1892), a British businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Leeds. He served as the Lord Mayor of Leeds and was instrumental in establishing several educational and cultural institutions in the area.
It is worth noting that while the surname Nalker has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by individuals who migrated or were part of the British diaspora. Nonetheless, its origins can be traced back to the occupational trades of medieval England, where the name first emerged and gained prominence.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nalker
Among Census respondents with the surname Nalker, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Black (6.7%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Nalker 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 Nalker surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.8% · 89
- Black or African American6.7% · 7
- Two or more races5.7% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nalker
Nalker appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-6 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,642 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 4,642 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 Nalker 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 | #148,347 | #152,989 | -3.1% |
| Count | 111 | 105 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nalker bearers went from 111 to 105 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 4,642 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #152,989.
FAQ
Nalker surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nalker?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Nalker. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Nalker?
Nalker ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 105 people with the surname Nalker. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Nalker.
Has Nalker become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nalker went from 111 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #148,347 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Nalker?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nalker, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Black (6.7%) and Two or More Races (5.7%). 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 Nalker in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.8% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nalker appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.8%), Black (6.7%), Two or More Races (5.7%). 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 Nalker (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 Nalker mean?
From old English, a surname referring to one who walked barefoot. 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 Nalker (0.04 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 have the last name Nalker?
Find out how many people have the last name Nalker on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.