The Nation surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,125 people carried this name — #4,940 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 41,300 people counted. That is up 4% from 6,880 in 2000.

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In print

Nation in American newspapers,
1901–1920.

Newspaper page from The Southern Sentinel carrying the name Nation
The Southern Sentinel 1901-12-06
Newspaper page from The Progress-itemizer carrying the name Nation
The Progress-itemizer 1920-08-06
Newspaper page from The Age-herald carrying the name Nation
The Age-herald 1901-12-15

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,983 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Nation in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

15,607 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Nation. The most, 2,167, date from the 1950s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 2.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 3,935
Victoria 3,311
New South Wales 3,280
Queensland 1,832
Western Australia 1,603
Tasmania 1,570
ACT (Canberra) 43
Northern Territory 14

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Nation.

Who carried it

People named Nation,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Carry Nation
    Carry Nation 1846–1911 · writer
  • John Nation
    John Nation 1874–1946 · military personnel
  • John Nation
    John Nation 1874–1946 · military personnel
  • Bill Nation
    Bill Nation 1925–2022 · politician
  • Olive Nation d. 1906 · botanist
  • Evelyn Victoria Muriel Barrington d. 1929

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Nation,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States369 records

369 records of the Nation name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 207
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 78
  • Other U.S. records 84
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ed D. Nation

    Born 1913 in Georgia. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Oglethorpe; textile mill worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Hamilton Memorial Gardens, Hixson, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Jimmy Lee Nation

    Born 1947; from Ft Worth, Texas. U.S. Army, infantryman; died in service 1968 in Quang Ngai, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Richard Nation

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the Egyptian Monarch from London, aged 24; farmer. From England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 369 records for Nation in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia340 records

340 records of the Nation name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 147
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 123
  • Other Australian records 70
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record George Nation

    Died 1868 in Franklin, Tasmania, aged 65. Will registered in Tasmania in 1868.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Arthur Frederick Nation

    Born 1864 in Hobart, Tasmania. Married 1898 in Victoria - Huon, Tasmania, aged 33.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record James Nation

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Emma Eugenia, arriving 1838.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 340 records for Nation in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada7 records

7 records of the Nation name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 4
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 1
  • Other Canadian records 2
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Arthur William George Nation

    Died 1946; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Alexander Nation

    Died 1971; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Frederick Wanless Nation

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 7 records for Nation in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Nation name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 4
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ross Milford Nation

    Died 1970, aged 33; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Fanny Mary Nation

    Died 1937, aged 66; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Nation

    Died 1903, aged 85; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Nation in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom7 records

7 records of the Nation name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 4
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record C. H. Nation

    Lancashire Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. Nation

    Welsh Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record S. Nation

    Lance Corporal, Royal Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Nation in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France2 records

2 records of the Nation name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Robert Charles Nation

    Born 1908 in Asnières (Paris); died 1988 in Colombes (Hauts-de-Seine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Molly Anastasie Nation

    Born 1919 in Ile de la Dominique; died 1999 in Cayenne (Guyane).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Nation name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Nicola Nation

    Born 1902 in Hazerswoude.

    Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Alphen aan den Rijn (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Nation.

When the index is not enough

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