Surname Nas - Meaning and Origin
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Nas: What does the surname Nas mean?
The origin of the surname Nas is not definitively known. It is thought to have derived from the French word ‘naze’, which translates to ‘stubborn’ or ‘headstrong’ in English. Alternatively, it is believed to have originated from the Norse word ‘nasr’, which translates to ‘nose’ or ‘snout’ in English. It is possible that those who bore the surname were of robust or even stubborn characters, or had a particular physical feature that was distinct among their peers.
Historians have suggested that the surname Nas is likely to have been most prevalent in southern France and parts of the former West Germany. This lends further credence to the French origin theory as those regions were historically subject to influence from French neighbours in the south.
In the modern age the surname Nas is common across most parts of the world. In some countries the name has been adopted by those of African or Haitian descent. It may also have been spread into many countries by migrants from France who, although they could not keep their family names, were willing to adopt the surname Nas when they arrived in the host country.
Surnames can offer insight into an individual’s origins and some family tales. In the case of Nas, it is not known for sure what its origin is and why those that bear it do so. Whatever the true origin of the surname, it is clear that it has an important place in the histories of many families and countries around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisNas: Where does the name Nas come from?
The surname Nas is commonly found throughout the Middle East, particularly in countries that were formerly part of the Ottoman Empire like Turkey, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and the nation of Georgia. It is also found in smaller numbers in other Arabic speaking countries in North Africa and the Arabian peninsula.
The name has entered the diaspora with immigrants from these regions, and is now commonly seen across Western Europe, North America and Australasia. It is particularly common in Germanic countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.
In the United States, the surname was relatively rare before the second half of the 20th century but has seen rapid growth in recent years, owing to the influx of immigrants from the Middle East in search of political asylum or economic opportunities. It is now among the 1000 most common surnames in the US.
Elsewhere, Nas is also a very common surname in Brazil, where approximately 1 in 200 people bear the name, and well as much of South and Central America. It is also found in significant numbers in the Caribbean, especially in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.
The surname is thought to come from the Aramaic word for "people," which was adopted by Arab traders and later became the basis for countless surnames across the region.
Variations of the surname Nas
The surname Nas (also spelled Nase, Nass, Naase, Ness) is of German origin, deriving from the German word “Nass,” meaning dew, or moisture.
Nass is also of Middle-High German origin and is an occupational surname that was originally derived from the Old German word “Nasso” which meant “a rider” or “driver of a carriage.”
The variants of Nas include Nasch, Nase, Nass, Naschmann, Naase, Ness, Näss, Nasse, Nässer, Neß, Naßmann, Naes, Neess and Neßer.
Some common English spellings of the same origin surname include Nas, Nase, Nass, Ness and Naes.
There are also some surnames that could be used for the purpose of further research into the family history of a particular branch of the Nas family. These include Nassa, Nässle, Nässele and Nässler.
Nas is also sometimes found as a prefix to other surnames, such as Nasdorf, Nasel, Nasemann, Naser, Nashmüller, Naske and Nassel.
In other languages, the surname Nas can be spelled differently. It can be spelled Nás in Hungarian and Nasc in Portuguese, for example.
Famous people with the name Nas
- Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, known professionally as Nas, is an American rapper, songwriter, and entrepreneur.
- Erykah Badu, whose legal name is Erica Abi Wright, is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and actress, and the mother of seven-time Grammy Award-winning rapper Nas.
- Imani Nasir Jones is the daughter of rapper Nas and singer Erykah Badu.
- Tziporah Malka Nas is a professional make-up artist and daughter of musician Nas.
- Nastassja Kinski is a German actress and model, and the only child of German actor Klaus Kinski and his second wife, actress Ruth Brigitte Tocki.
- Kafi Nas is a British singer, songwriter, and record producer.
- Shantel Nashona Nasir is a former American soccer forward who played for the Philadelphia Charge and Washington Freedom of Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA).
- Hassan Nasir is an Afghan businessperson, philanthropist, and founder of the Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce.
- Rashida Nasir is a Pakistani entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of the Foundation of Women Entrepreneurs.
- Ali Nas is an Iraqi rapper and singer-songwriter.