This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Nara family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Nara Family History

Nara Surname Meaning

Finnish (Närä): habitational name from Närä in Torne Valley in Lapland named for its location near the rapids (from närä ‘shallow rapids wide flowing place in the river’). Established as a hereditary surname since the 19th century.

Indian (Haryana Andhra Pradesh): Jat and Kamma (agrarian caste) name apparently from Sanskrit nara ‘male masculine’. Nara was the name of an ancient king of Kashmir (flourished c. 900 BC).

Japanese: from any of several places so named all over Japan written many different ways phonetically apparently from a word meaning ‘level’. The famous ancient city of Nara originally called Heijō no Kyō 平城京 (‘Capital City of Peace’) was built on a level plain and the character 平 hei (also pronounced nara) means both ‘peace’ and ‘level’ so the name could be a pun.

The surname is mainly found in northeastern Japan. The best known form is 奈良.

Filipino: topographic name from nara the name of a tree native to the Philippines. Compare Narra.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Nara family from?

You can see how Nara families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nara family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Nara families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 5 Nara families living in Ontario. This was about 63% of all the recorded Nara's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Nara families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nara surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Nara ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Nara. 32% of Nara men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Nara women worked as a Servant. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nara were Clerk and New Worker.

View Census Data for Nara | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    32%
  • Farm Laborer
    12%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Servant
    50%
  • New Worker
    50%

What Nara family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Nara. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nara census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Nara

Passenger Lists

There are 748 immigration records available for the last name Nara. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Nara immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 253 military records available for the last name Nara. For the veterans among your Nara ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nara military records

You've only scratched the surface of Nara family history

Discover More

What is the average Nara lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Nara life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Nara in 1959 was 50, and 47 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nara

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nara ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Nara family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial