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

Nez, 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 Nez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nez in America

Nez is the 6948th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nez surname appeared 4,827 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 Nez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nez 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 Nez

The surname "Nez" is believed to have originated in France, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the French word "nez," which means "nose." The name was likely bestowed upon someone with a distinctive nose or a prominent nasal feature.

In the early 13th century, records show that the name "Nez" appeared in various regions of France, particularly in the northern and central areas. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historical documents from Normandy and the Île-de-France region.

One of the notable early references to the surname "Nez" is found in the "Livre des Métiers," a medieval guild manuscript from Paris, compiled between 1268 and 1300. This document lists several individuals with the surname "Nez" who were members of various trade guilds.

During the 14th century, the name "Nez" became more widespread across France, with records indicating its presence in regions such as Brittany, Anjou, and Poitou. In some regions, the name was also spelled as "Neys" or "Nays," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "Nez" was Jean Nez, a merchant from Paris who lived in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Pierre Nez, a prominent lawyer and judge from Rouen, who lived in the early 15th century (circa 1400-1470).

In the 16th century, the name "Nez" gained recognition through the work of the French poet and satirist Mathurin Nez (1523-1586), who hailed from Normandy. His works, which often criticized the clergy and nobility, earned him both acclaim and censorship during his lifetime.

Other historical figures with the surname "Nez" include Jacques Nez (1580-1648), a French explorer and fur trader who traveled extensively in North America, and François Nez (1635-1709), a French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris and the surrounding regions.

As the surname spread beyond France, it also found its way into other European countries, such as Belgium, where it was sometimes spelled as "Neze" or "Neys." In England, the name was occasionally anglicized to "Neys" or "Nase."

Throughout history, the surname "Nez" has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, lawyers, artisans, and writers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and professions of those who bore this distinctive name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nez

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

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

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

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