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

Nettle, 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 Nettle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nettle in America

Nettle is the 48901st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nettle surname appeared 431 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Nettle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nettle 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 Nettle

The surname Nettle is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'netele', meaning stinging plant. It likely originated as a nickname or a descriptive name for someone who lived near a patch of nettles or had a prickly personality.

The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the late 12th century in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, where a person named Robert Nettle was listed. The name also appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, referring to a Thomas Nettle.

Variations of the spelling include Nettell, Nettill, and Nettles. It is related to the place name Nettlebed in Oxfordshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Nettlebede'.

One notable bearer of the name was John Nettle, a 16th-century English poet and playwright. He was born around 1540 and is known for his works "The Praise of Suffolk Ale" and "The Nettle's Tragedy".

Another person of historical significance was Sir Thomas Nettle (1570-1631), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in the early 17th century.

In the 17th century, Reverend John Nettle (1619-1686) was a prominent Puritan minister and author from Norfolk, England. He wrote several religious treatises, including "The Glorious Progress of the Gospel" and "The Christian's Defence against Popery".

William Nettle (1722-1798) was an English silversmith and engraver during the Georgian era, known for his intricate designs and craftsmanship.

Additionally, in the 19th century, Joseph Nettle (1838-1912) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nettle

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

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

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

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