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

Nay, 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 Nay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nay in America

Nay is the 6949th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nay surname appeared 4,826 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Nay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nay 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 Nay

The surname Nay has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "nae" or "na," which means "no" or "nay." This word was often used as an affirmative response in the early English language, and it is possible that the surname was initially given as a nickname to someone known for their blunt or direct manner of speaking.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Nay can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. These records mention individuals with the name Nay residing in various counties across England, suggesting that the surname was already well-established by that time.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname Nay was John Nay, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301. Another notable figure was William Nay, a prominent landowner in Northamptonshire during the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the surname Nay appears in several historical documents, including the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the influential Paston family. One of the letters, written in 1472, mentions a certain John Nay, who was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership.

The surname Nay has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Nayfield in Wiltshire and Naylands in Suffolk. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname Nay who resided in or owned land in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Nay. One such person was Thomas Nay (1615-1676), an English Puritan minister who served as the chaplain to Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate. Another prominent figure was Sir Nathaniel Nay (1653-1725), a British naval officer who served during the reign of King William III and Queen Anne.

In the literary world, one cannot overlook the contributions of Robert Nay (1753-1829), an English poet and playwright who wrote several works, including the tragedy "The Woodman's Hut" and the comedic play "The Kentish Barons."

Additionally, the surname Nay has been carried by individuals in the field of science and exploration. One such person was John Nay (1788-1859), a British botanist and explorer known for his expeditions to the Cape of Good Hope and his contributions to the study of South African flora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nay

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

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

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

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