NameCensus.

UK surname

Nash

Derived from a place name meaning "at the ash tree" in Old English, originally referring to someone living nearby.

In the 1881 census there were 13,809 people recorded with the Nash surname, ranking it #292 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 20,902, ranked #285, up from #292 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Blaenau Gwent and Wrexham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nash is 21,720 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.4%.

1881 census count

13,809

Ranked #292

Modern count

20,902

2016, ranked #285

Peak year

1999

21,720 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nash had 13,809 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #292 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 20,902 in 2016, ranked #285.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 19,582 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Nash surname distribution map

The map shows where the Nash surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Nash surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nash over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 8,590 #308
1861 historical 8,599 #324
1881 historical 13,809 #292
1891 historical 14,471 #291
1901 historical 17,784 #284
1911 historical 19,582 #232
1997 modern 20,742 #283
1998 modern 21,643 #283
1999 modern 21,720 #283
2000 modern 21,375 #285
2001 modern 20,868 #285
2002 modern 21,380 #285
2003 modern 20,760 #285
2004 modern 20,777 #286
2005 modern 20,294 #286
2006 modern 20,235 #286
2007 modern 20,313 #288
2008 modern 20,263 #289
2009 modern 20,843 #289
2010 modern 21,287 #287
2011 modern 20,962 #288
2012 modern 20,597 #285
2013 modern 21,177 #284
2014 modern 21,205 #285
2015 modern 20,951 #285
2016 modern 20,902 #285

Geography

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Where Nashs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Blaenau Gwent, Wrexham, Stroud and Basingstoke and Deane. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 038 Shropshire
2 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
3 Wrexham 019 Wrexham
4 Stroud 008 Stroud
5 Basingstoke and Deane 001 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nash

These lists show first names that appear often with the Nash surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nash

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Nash, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Nash surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Nash household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Nash is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nash is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nash falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nash is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Nash, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nash

The surname NASH is an ancient English name with origins dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'aesc', meaning ash tree, and was likely originally a topographic name given to someone who lived near an ash tree or ash grove.

In its earliest form, the name was spelled 'Atte-Nasch' or 'Attenasche', reflecting the common practice of adding the preposition 'atte' before surnames to indicate location. This spelling can be found in records from the early 14th century, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

The NASH surname is particularly well-documented in the Domesday Book of 1086, which records several landholders with variations of the name, such as Robert de Esnash and William de Esnesse, in various counties across England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the NASH surname was John atte Nassh, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1317. Another early bearer of the name was Thomas Nasse, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1345.

As the name evolved over time, it took on various spellings, including Naish, Naysh, Nasche, and Nashe. Some notable figures from history who bore the NASH surname include Thomas Nash (1567-1648), a renowned English poet and playwright, and Richard Nash (1674-1761), a celebrated English entrepreneur and architect who helped establish the city of Bath as a fashionable resort.

Other notable NASH individuals include Beau Nash (1785-1858), an English professional cricketer, and John Nash (1752-1835), an English architect best known for designing the Regent's Park and Regent Street in London. Additionally, John Forbes Nash Jr. (1928-2015), an American mathematician and Nobel laureate, made significant contributions to game theory and differential geometry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Nash surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nash surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13,809 people were recorded with the Nash surname. That placed it at #292 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nash surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 20,902 in 2016. That gives Nash a modern rank of #285.

What does the Nash surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "at the ash tree" in Old English, originally referring to someone living nearby.

What does the Nash map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Nash bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.