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

Nhean, 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 Nhean surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nhean in America

Nhean is the 94730th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nhean surname appeared 193 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 Nhean.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nhean 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 Nhean

The surname NHEAN originates from the region of Brittany in northwestern France, with earliest records dating back to the late 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Breton word "nev", meaning new or recent, and "an", meaning place or settlement. This suggests the name may have initially referred to someone who resided in a newly established village or area.

One of the earliest documented references to the name NHEAN can be found in the Cartulary of Redon, a medieval manuscript compiled by the monks of the Redon Abbey in Brittany between the 9th and 13th centuries. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Nevan", "Neven", and "Nevain", reflecting the linguistic evolution and regional variations of the time.

In the 13th century, the NHEAN family is recorded as holding lands in the parish of Plougastel-Daoulas, near the city of Brest. A notable member from this period was Alain NHEAN, who served as a knight under the Duke of Brittany during the Breton War of Succession (1341-1364).

During the 15th century, the spelling of the name stabilized to its current form, NHEAN. In 1487, a certain Jean NHEAN was listed as a merchant and member of the prestigious Guild of Merchants in the city of Quimper.

As the centuries progressed, the NHEAN family continued to establish themselves as landowners and prominent figures in various parts of Brittany. Notable individuals include:

1. Yves NHEAN (1522-1598), a renowned scholar and linguist who contributed to the preservation of the Breton language through his writings and translations.

2. Marie NHEAN (1638-1718), a pioneering businesswoman who owned and operated several successful trading companies in the port city of Lorient.

3. René NHEAN (1718-1792), a military officer who fought in the War of the Austrian Succession and later became the governor of the Île de Ré, an island off the western coast of France.

4. Émilie NHEAN (1825-1904), a celebrated author and poet who wrote extensively about Breton folklore and traditions.

5. Louis NHEAN (1867-1942), a prominent architect who designed numerous churches, public buildings, and private residences throughout Brittany in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the NHEAN surname has its roots firmly planted in the history and culture of Brittany, over time it has spread to other regions of France and beyond, carried by individuals and families who migrated or established new branches of the lineage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nhean

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

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

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

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