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

Nordan, 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 Nordan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nordan in America

Nordan is the 44193rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nordan surname appeared 487 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 Nordan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nordan 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 Nordan

The surname Nordan has its origins in Scandinavia, specifically Norway and Denmark. It is believed to have emerged around the 12th century, derived from the Old Norse words "norðr" meaning "north" and "an" meaning "valley" or "river." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals living in the northern valleys or river regions of these countries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nordan can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of medieval texts that document the history and culture of the Norse people. In the Saga of Erik the Red, written around the 13th century, there is a mention of a character named Nordan Eriksson, who was a prominent explorer and settler in Greenland.

In Denmark, the name Nordan appears to have been more prevalent in the northern regions, particularly in Jutland and the surrounding areas. Several historical records from the 14th and 15th centuries, such as land deeds and tax records, include individuals with variations of the name, such as Nordahn and Nortdahn.

One notable figure with the surname Nordan was Hans Nordan (1546-1611), a Danish politician and diplomat who served as the Mayor of Copenhagen during the late 16th century. He played a significant role in the development and expansion of the city during his tenure.

Another individual with this surname was the Norwegian artist and painter, Nils Nordan (1765-1832). He is best known for his landscape paintings depicting the stunning scenery of Norway, particularly the fjords and mountains. His works are displayed in several art museums across Norway and are considered important contributions to the country's cultural heritage.

In the 18th century, there was a Swedish military officer named Johan Nordan (1721-1788) who gained recognition for his bravery and leadership during the Russo-Swedish War of 1741-1743. He was awarded several honors and medals for his service and is mentioned in various historical accounts of the conflict.

The surname Nordan also has a presence in the United States, likely brought over by Scandinavian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One notable American with this surname was Albert Nordan (1929-2002), a writer and author from Mississippi. He is best known for his novel "Wolf Whistle," which explores themes of race and identity in the American South.

While the surname Nordan may not be as widely known as some other Scandinavian surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nordan

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!