2000
#8,185
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,728
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.38
Uncommon Last name
Nair
A surname of Indian origin, indicating lineage from the Nair caste of the Kerala region in southern India.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,306 Americans carry the last name Nair. That puts it at #3,287 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.59 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nair surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Nair with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 27,853
Census rank
#3,287
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,731 bearers of the surname Nair in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.59 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3287th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nair, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.1%. The next largest groups are White (7.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nair
The surname Nair has its origins in the Indian state of Kerala. It dates back to the 8th century AD and is derived from the Malayalam word 'Nayar', which refers to a prominent caste of warriors and landowners. The Nairs were an influential social group that played a significant role in the history and culture of Kerala.
In ancient times, the Nairs were known for their military prowess and served as the ruling class in various parts of Kerala. They were responsible for the administration and defense of the region under the authority of the local kings or chieftains. The name Nair was a mark of their social status and martial traditions.
The earliest known reference to the Nair surname can be found in the inscriptions and manuscripts from the 9th and 10th centuries AD. These ancient records often mention the names of Nair chieftains, warriors, and landowners, providing insights into their roles in Kerala's society during that period.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the Nair surname is Aryan Nair, a prominent military leader and landowner who lived in the 10th century AD. Another notable figure was Unni Nair, a renowned poet and scholar from the 14th century, whose works significantly influenced Malayalam literature.
Throughout history, several Nairs have made significant contributions in various fields. Akkitham Achuthan Nair (1925-2020) was a renowned Malayalam poet and literary critic, while K. Karunakaran Nair (1918-2005) was a prominent politician who served as the Chief Minister of Kerala. T.K. Padmini Nair (1940-2021) was a celebrated Kathakali dancer and actress, known for her performances in several Indian classical dance forms.
Other notable individuals with the Nair surname include P.K. Nair (1933-2010), a renowned filmmaker and screenwriter, and K.P.S. Menon Nair (1886-1965), a distinguished diplomat and statesman who served as India's first Foreign Secretary after independence.
The surname Nair is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of Kerala and has a rich history spanning over a millennium. Despite its widespread use, the name continues to hold significance and pride for its bearers, reflecting their connection to the ancient traditions and legacy of the Nair community.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nair
Among Census respondents with the surname Nair, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.1%. The next largest groups are White (7.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Nair bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Nair surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander88.1% · 9,450
- White7.0% · 755
- Two or more races3.0% · 323
- Black or African American1.0% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino0.6% · 66
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 35
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nair
Nair appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#4,719
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,513
+3,785 bearers (+101.5%)
Per 100,000 2.55
Rank movement Up 3,466 places
2020
#3,287
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,731
+3,218 bearers (+42.8%)
Per 100,000 3.59
Rank movement Up 1,432 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,185 | 3,728 | 1.38 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,719 | 7,513 | 2.55 | +3,785 bearers (+101.5%) | Up 3,466 places |
| 2020 | #3,287 | 10,731 | 3.59 | +3,218 bearers (+42.8%) | Up 1,432 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Nair surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,719 | #3,287 | 30.3% |
| Count | 7,513 | 10,731 | 42.8% |
| Per 100K | 2.55 | 3.59 | 40.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nair bearers went from 7,513 to 10,731 (+42.8% change). The surname moved up 1,432 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,719 to #3,287.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Nair
FAQ
Nair surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nair?
Name Census estimates that about 12,306 living Americans carry the surname Nair. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 27,853 residents.
How common is Nair?
Nair ranks #3,287 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.59 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,731 people with the surname Nair. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,306), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.59 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.59 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Nair.
Has Nair become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nair went from 7,513 recorded bearers to 10,731. That is an increase of 3,218 (+42.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,719 to #3,287.
What does the Census say about the background of Nair?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nair, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 88.1%. The next largest groups are White (7.0%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Nair in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (9,450 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nair appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (88.1%), White (7.0%), Two or More Races (3.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Nair (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Nair mean?
A surname of Indian origin, indicating lineage from the Nair caste of the Kerala region in southern India. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Nair (3.59 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Nair?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.