Nood last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Nood

A misspelling or variant of the Dutch surname "Nood" referring to poverty or need.

Nood, 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 Nood surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Nood in America

Nood is the 98298th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nood surname appeared 171 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Nood.

The history of the last name Nood

The surname Nood has its origins in the Netherlands, likely stemming from the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. It is believed to derive from the Dutch word nood, which translates to "need" or "distress." This could indicate that the original bearers of the surname were associated with a role in society related to aid or relief, possibly tied to the church or local governance.

The surname Nood is relatively uncommon and does not appear frequently in historical records. However, it is mentioned sporadically in medieval Dutch manuscripts and local records. One of the earliest references to the name can be found in a 14th-century town registry in Utrecht, where a Jan van Nood is listed as a landowner.

The name has seen various spellings and iterations over the centuries, including Knod and Knood, found in old texts and legal documents. These variations often depended on the region and the literacy of the scribes recording the names.

A notable historical figure bearing the surname Nood is Pieter Nood, a 16th-century merchant from Amsterdam, born in 1525 and passing in 1589. His trading ventures contributed significantly to the economic growth of the Dutch Golden Age. Another example is Maria van Nood, a midwife recorded in Delft around 1620, known for her contributions to local medical practices.

In the 17th century, the name appears in overseas records due to Dutch colonial activity. Johan Nood, born in 1634, was a sailor who traveled to the Dutch East Indies, contributing to navigation logs and records that are still referenced today.

During the 18th century, the surname starts appearing in military records. Hendrik Nood, born in 1740, served as an officer in the Dutch army during the War of Austrian Succession, with detailed records of his service maintained in the national archives.

By the 19th century, the name had also crossed into neighboring countries like Belgium. Clara Nood, born in 1802 in Antwerp, was known for her charitable work and involvement in the early feminist movement in Belgium.

The surname Nood, through its variations and historical mentions, provides a glimpse into Dutch societal roles, migration, and contributions across centuries, highlighting the adaptability and resilience of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nood

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Nood was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 77.19% 132
Non-Hispanic Black Only 15.79% 27
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 3.51% 6

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.

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

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

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"Nood last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on September 17, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/nood-surname-popularity/.

"Nood last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/nood-surname-popularity/. Accessed 17 September, 2025

Nood last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/nood-surname-popularity/.

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