NameCensus.

UK surname

Nation

An English surname derived from the Old French word "nation," referring to someone of a particular national or ethnic origin.

In the 1881 census there were 484 people recorded with the Nation surname, ranking it #6,939 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 884, ranked #6,377, up from #6,939 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, Taunton Deane and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nation is 899 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.6%.

1881 census count

484

Ranked #6,939

Modern count

884

2016, ranked #6,377

Peak year

2010

899 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nation had 484 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,939 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 884 in 2016, ranked #6,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 694 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Nation surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nation surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nation 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 387 #6,204
1861 historical 321 #7,938
1881 historical 484 #6,939
1891 historical 524 #7,145
1901 historical 656 #6,592
1911 historical 694 #6,121
1997 modern 836 #6,318
1998 modern 849 #6,443
1999 modern 871 #6,368
2000 modern 827 #6,597
2001 modern 817 #6,534
2002 modern 841 #6,517
2003 modern 825 #6,483
2004 modern 831 #6,461
2005 modern 821 #6,469
2006 modern 803 #6,606
2007 modern 839 #6,442
2008 modern 837 #6,511
2009 modern 857 #6,532
2010 modern 899 #6,389
2011 modern 886 #6,393
2012 modern 879 #6,360
2013 modern 884 #6,435
2014 modern 885 #6,463
2015 modern 873 #6,463
2016 modern 884 #6,377

Geography

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Where Nations are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, Taunton Deane, County Durham and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Bedminster Somerset
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 003 Neath Port Talbot
2 Neath Port Talbot 002 Neath Port Talbot
3 Taunton Deane 004 Taunton Deane
4 County Durham 011 County Durham
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 014 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nation

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nation

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Nation, 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 Nation surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Nation 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nation is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nation is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nation falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nation 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 Nation, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nation

The surname NATION is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "nacion" which means "birth" or "race". It is believed to have been initially used as a nickname for someone who was from a foreign land or a different cultural background.

The earliest known record of the surname NATION dates back to the late 12th century in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, where a person named William Nacion was mentioned. During the Middle Ages, the surname was also found in various forms such as Nacion, Natioun, and Nacyon.

One notable historical reference to the surname NATION can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as a place name in Hertfordshire. The entry suggests that the name may have been derived from a particular location or settlement.

In the 14th century, the surname NATION appeared in several legal documents and charters, including the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1347, which mentioned a John Nacion. Around the same period, a Richard Nacion was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1332.

Among the earliest known bearers of the surname NATION was John Nation, who was born in Wiltshire, England, in the late 15th century. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, and his descendants continued to use the surname in the following centuries.

Another notable figure with the surname NATION was Sir Thomas Nation (1546-1619), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Malmesbury. He was also appointed as a Justice of the Peace for Wiltshire.

In the 17th century, the surname NATION gained recognition through the works of Robert Nation (1636-1695), an English clergyman and writer who authored several religious texts and sermons.

During the 18th century, a prominent bearer of the surname was John Nation (1715-1789), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in several battles during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

Another significant figure with the surname NATION was Sir Michael Nation (1786-1857), a British army officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Sierra Leone from 1838 to 1851.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nation families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nation 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. Somerset leads with 176 Nations recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.26x.

County Total Index
Somerset 176 23.26x
Surrey 55 2.40x
Gloucestershire 54 5.86x
Middlesex 40 0.85x
Devon 34 3.47x
Berkshire 20 5.67x
Staffordshire 18 1.13x
Hampshire 15 1.56x
Lancashire 14 0.25x
Yorkshire 9 0.19x
Sussex 8 1.01x
Glamorgan 7 0.86x
Kent 7 0.44x
Worcestershire 6 0.98x
Essex 4 0.43x
Warwickshire 3 0.25x
Hertfordshire 2 0.62x
Monmouthshire 2 0.59x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Cornwall 1 0.19x
Denbighshire 1 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.16x
Oxfordshire 1 0.34x
Royal Navy 1 1.78x
West Lothian 1 1.41x
Westmorland 1 0.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wiveliscombe in Somerset leads with 24 Nations recorded in 1881 and an index of 568.72x.

Place Total Index
Wiveliscombe 24 568.72x
Lambeth 23 5.61x
Bedminster 21 29.53x
Cheltenham 15 21.09x
Bristol St James St Paul 12 39.02x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 12.67x
Clatworthy 11 3055.56x
East Stonehouse 11 57.05x
Staplegrove 11 1195.65x
West Monkton 11 658.68x
North Petherton 10 163.93x
Taunton St James 10 90.58x
Bishops Lydeard 9 466.32x
Reading St Giles 9 26.00x
West Derby 9 5.51x
Kingswinford 8 13.88x
Newington 8 4.61x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 10.61x
Clapham 7 11.91x
Roath 7 18.83x
Shapwick 7 985.92x
Stoke Newington London 7 19.12x
Bridgewater 6 29.20x
Burghclere 6 491.80x
Thatcham 6 110.29x
Bisley 5 59.81x
Bristol St Paul In 5 20.35x
Kingston 5 328.95x
Kingston On Thames 5 9.09x
Smallthorne 5 84.89x
St Marylebone London 5 1.99x
Taunton St Mary 5 36.00x
Upton 5 1086.96x
Beverley St Mary 4 58.82x
Islington London 4 0.88x
Lyncombe Widcombe 4 20.19x
Niton 4 310.08x
Oldbury 4 13.24x
Stafford St Mary 4 17.80x
Walcot 4 9.92x
Wembdon 4 178.57x
West Ham 4 1.95x
Westbury On Trym 4 12.80x
Weston Super Mare 4 20.93x
Ainsworth 3 138.89x
Arundel 3 67.57x
Aston 3 0.92x
Dunster 3 165.75x
Durleigh 3 909.09x
Kensington London 3 1.15x
Lewisham 3 3.51x
Mortimer 3 177.51x
Norton Fitzwarren 3 280.37x
Paddington London 3 1.74x
Southwark St Olave 3 83.57x
St George Hanover 3 4.89x
St Pancras London 3 0.79x
Stoke Damerel 3 4.38x
Thurloxton 3 1153.85x
Wootton St Lawrence 3 187.50x
Abergavenny 2 15.71x
Bicknoller 2 377.36x
Birkdale 2 14.16x
Camberwell 2 0.67x
Cottingham 2 19.92x
Croydon 2 1.57x
Great Torrington 2 36.04x
Greenwich 2 2.67x
Hampstead London 2 2.73x
Hastings St Mary 2 10.14x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 11.83x
Hertingfordbury 2 151.52x
Mile End Old Town 2 2.69x
Otley 2 17.68x
St George Bloomsbury 2 7.41x
Upottery 2 170.94x
Wellington 2 19.49x
Brixham 1 8.82x
Queensferry 1 57.80x
Sidmonton 1 322.58x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
George 24
James 18
Thomas 16
John 15
Joseph 13
Charles 12
Henry 11
Walter 8
Frederick 7
Arthur 6
Robert 6
Albert 4
Benjamin 4
Richard 4
Sidney 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Isaac 3
Thos. 3
Edwin 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Howard 2
Simeon 2
Tom 2
Algernon 1
Earnest 1
Edwd.J. 1
Gilbert 1
Henery 1
Horace 1
J. 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Mathew 1
Norman 1
Reuben 1
Rheuben 1
Richd. 1
Seymore 1
Stephen 1
Trisket 1

FAQ

Nation surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nation surname in 1881?

In 1881, 484 people were recorded with the Nation surname. That placed it at #6,939 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nation surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 884 in 2016. That gives Nation a modern rank of #6,377.

What does the Nation surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French word "nation," referring to someone of a particular national or ethnic origin.

What does the Nation map show?

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