2000
#9,523
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,131
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.16
Rare Last name
Nasser
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "victor," "defender," or "protector."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,000 Americans carry the last name Nasser. That puts it at #6,260 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.75 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 57,126 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nasser 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Nasser with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.0K
1 in 57,126
Census rank
#6,260
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,232 bearers of the surname Nasser in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.75 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6260th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nasser, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nasser
The surname Nasser has its origins in the Arabic language, derived from the word "Nasr," which means "victory" or "triumph." This name is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in regions with significant Arab populations, such as the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and parts of the Levant.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Nasser can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the Islamic Golden Age. The name gained prominence as Arab armies and cultural influence spread across vast regions, including parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
One of the earliest known references to the name Nasser can be found in the annals of the Umayyad Caliphate, which ruled from 661 to 750 AD. Records indicate that several prominent figures bore the name Nasser during this period, including military commanders and scholars.
In the 9th century AD, the name Nasser appeared in the writings of the renowned historian and geographer al-Baladhuri, who chronicled the conquests and expansion of the Islamic empires. His works provide valuable insights into the significance and usage of this name during that time.
Over the centuries, the surname Nasser has been associated with various historical figures, including rulers, poets, and intellectuals. One notable example is Nasser al-Din al-Tusi (1201-1274), a renowned Persian polymath, philosopher, and astronomer who made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics, astronomy, and theology.
Another prominent figure bearing the surname Nasser was Gamal Abdel Nasser (1918-1970), the former President of Egypt and a pivotal figure in the Arab nationalist movement. His leadership and policies had a lasting impact on the region's political landscape.
The surname Nasser has also been linked to various place names and locations throughout the Middle East and North Africa. For instance, the city of Nasser in Iran, as well as several villages and towns across Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria, bear variations of this name.
Over time, the surname Nasser has spread globally, carried by individuals and families who have migrated from their ancestral homelands. While its origins can be traced back to the Middle East, the name has become a part of diverse cultural and linguistic communities worldwide.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nasser
Among Census respondents with the surname Nasser, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Nasser 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 Nasser surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.6% · 4,163
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 309
- Two or more races5.7% · 296
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.7% · 244
- Black or African American4.1% · 215
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nasser
Nasser 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
#7,160
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,673
+1,542 bearers (+49.2%)
Per 100,000 1.58
Rank movement Up 2,363 places
2020
#6,260
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,232
+559 bearers (+12.0%)
Per 100,000 1.75
Rank movement Up 900 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,523 | 3,131 | 1.16 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,160 | 4,673 | 1.58 | +1,542 bearers (+49.2%) | Up 2,363 places |
| 2020 | #6,260 | 5,232 | 1.75 | +559 bearers (+12.0%) | Up 900 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 Nasser 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 | #7,160 | #6,260 | 12.6% |
| Count | 4,673 | 5,232 | 12.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.58 | 1.75 | 10.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nasser bearers went from 4,673 to 5,232 (+12.0% change). The surname moved up 900 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,160 to #6,260.
FAQ
Nasser surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nasser?
Name Census estimates that about 6,000 living Americans carry the surname Nasser. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 57,126 residents.
How common is Nasser?
Nasser ranks #6,260 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.75 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,232 people with the surname Nasser. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,000), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.75 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.75 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Nasser.
Has Nasser become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nasser went from 4,673 recorded bearers to 5,232. That is an increase of 559 (+12.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,160 to #6,260.
What does the Census say about the background of Nasser?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nasser, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) 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 Nasser in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.6% (4,163 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nasser appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (79.6%), Hispanic (5.9%), 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 Nasser (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 Nasser mean?
A surname of Arabic origin meaning "victor," "defender," or "protector." 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 Nasser (1.75 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 Americans have the surname Nasser?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.