NameCensus.

UK surname

Nassau

A territorial surname derived from the region of Nassau in Germany.

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Nassau surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 155, ranked #23,197, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Bradford and Scarborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nassau is 166 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 496.2%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

155

2016, ranked #23,197

Peak year

2009

166 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nassau had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016, ranked #23,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 47 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Nassau surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nassau surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nassau 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 5 #33,418
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 12 #33,181
1901 historical 47 #28,929
1911 historical 39 #29,025
1997 modern 145 #21,571
1998 modern 156 #21,144
1999 modern 156 #21,290
2000 modern 160 #20,903
2001 modern 151 #21,375
2002 modern 147 #22,197
2003 modern 144 #22,270
2004 modern 140 #22,793
2005 modern 147 #22,057
2006 modern 147 #22,221
2007 modern 154 #21,804
2008 modern 157 #21,766
2009 modern 166 #21,469
2010 modern 161 #22,385
2011 modern 153 #22,996
2012 modern 155 #22,762
2013 modern 161 #22,521
2014 modern 164 #22,445
2015 modern 161 #22,599
2016 modern 155 #23,197

Geography

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Where Nassaus are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Bradford, Scarborough and Gateshead. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 021 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Bradford 030 Bradford
3 Scarborough 012 Scarborough
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 003 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Gateshead 015 Gateshead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nassau

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nassau

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Nassau, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Nassau surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Nassau household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Nassau is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nassau is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nassau falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nassau is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Nassau

The surname Nassau originates from the Netherlands and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Dutch place name "Nassauen," which referred to a former county and duchy in what is now Germany.

The name is believed to come from the Old High German word "nâh," meaning "near," and the word "ouwa," meaning "meadow" or "island." This suggests that the original meaning of Nassau may have been something along the lines of "near the meadow."

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Nassau comes from a 13th-century document mentioning a nobleman named Walram of Nassau. The Nassau family went on to become one of the most prominent noble houses in Europe, ruling over various territories and playing a significant role in European history.

One notable member of the Nassau family was William III of Orange-Nassau, who was born in 1650 and became the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland in 1689. He played a crucial role in the Glorious Revolution and the establishment of the Dutch Republic.

Another famous individual with the surname Nassau was Prince John Maurice of Nassau, born in 1604. He was a celebrated military commander and served as the governor of Dutch Brazil from 1637 to 1644.

In the 16th century, the Nassau family acquired the principality of Orange, leading to the formation of the House of Orange-Nassau. This branch of the family later ruled over the Netherlands and produced several Dutch monarchs.

The surname Nassau is also linked to various place names, such as Nassau, Germany, and Nassau County in New York, which was named after the Dutch Prince William of Orange-Nassau.

Other notable individuals with the surname Nassau include Henry III of Nassau-Beilstein (1483-1538), a German nobleman and military commander, and Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange (1584-1647), a renowned Dutch military and political leader.

Throughout history, the surname Nassau has been associated with nobility, leadership, and power, reflecting the prominent role played by the Nassau family in shaping the course of European history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nassau families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nassau surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cambridgeshire leads with 9 Nassaus recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.04x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 9 56.04x
Warwickshire 6 9.38x
Yorkshire 6 2.39x
Lincolnshire 3 7.40x
Surrey 2 1.62x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whittlesey St Mary St in Cambridgeshire leads with 9 Nassaus recorded in 1881 and an index of 1607.14x.

Place Total Index
Whittlesey St Mary St 9 1607.14x
Foleshill 6 895.52x
East Ardsley 2 909.09x
Knaresborough 2 512.82x
Penge 2 123.46x
Sculcoates 2 50.25x
Winterton 2 1428.57x
Haxey 1 588.24x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Nassau surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Sarah 2
Edith 1
Frances 1
Katie 1
Laura 1
Lonica 1
Mary 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Nassau surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 5
George 2
William 2
Jim 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
W.G.H. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Nassau households.

FAQ

Nassau surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nassau surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Nassau surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nassau surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016. That gives Nassau a modern rank of #23,197.

What does the Nassau surname mean?

A territorial surname derived from the region of Nassau in Germany.

What does the Nassau map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Nassau 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.