Here are the most common Black or African American last names beginning with N in the United States.
Our list takes surnames from the 2010 census only if 50% or more holders declared that they were Black.
Of course, many African Americans have surnames that fall below this percentage. We simply use it as a cut-off for this list.
Details Behind The List
The U.S. census of 2010 included a question that asked if the person was Black or another ethnicity (or mix).
Our details include the black percentage in 2010 for each name. The census provides a percentage with two decimal points. We rounded it to a whole number.
We also checked the censuses of 1940 and 1910 for the number of people of each name who were documented as black.
This article uses the terms Black and African American interchangeably.
The public details from the 2010 census do not include nationality so our numbers cannot be exact. Take them as a guide.
Top 30 Surnames Beginning With N
These black and African American names have the highest number of entries in the 2010 U.S. census.
The surnames are listed below in order of how common they are.
Newson
The 2010 census had a total of 4,693 people with the last name Newson.
About 71% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 923 people named Newson were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 581 people of this name were documented as black.
Historic figures
Moses Newson was born in 1927 in Florida. After serving in the Navy, he did a degree in journalism at Lincoln University.
Newson reported on some of the most important events of the civil rights movement. This put his life at risk and he was attacked several times by mobs.
He reported on the murder of Andrew Till and the integration of schools in Arkansas. Newson was one of two reporters who rode with the Freedom Riders on segregated buses.
The National Association Of Black Journalists inducted Newson into their hall of fame in 2014.
Nealy
The 2010 census had a total of 4,485 people with the last name Nealy.
About 57% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 765 people named Nealy were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 333 people of this name were documented as black.
Historic figures
You could argue that the great tap dancer Frances Nealy shouldn’t be in this section. Nealy was her stage name, but she was born Frances Warner. But I’ll cover her here.
She was born in 1918 in San Diego, California. She learned tap dancing in her teens and moved to Hollywood in 1939. She danced in the chorus line of the big nightclubs of that time.
Nealy worked with Bill Robinson, and was often billed as “the female Bill Robinson”. She also worked with Count Basie, Paul Robeson, Sammy Davis Jr., and Gregory Hines.
Norfleet
The 2010 census had a total of 4,139 people with the last name Norfleet.
About 56% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 651 people named Norfleet were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 556 people of this name were documented as black.
Historic figures
The Norfleet Brothers were a musical group made of five of fifteen siblings born in Marion, Alabama. Junious, the youngest, was born in 1926.
Their father was a preacher and they grew up singing in church. After WWII, they toured as a singing group that combined gospel, R&B, and jazz.
The group expanded joined by nephews, cousins, and sons through the years.
The Norfleet Brothers appeared on many television shows from the 1950s to the 1980s. They headlined Chicago’s entertainment program, the Jubilee Showcase, for over twenty years.
Nevels
The 2010 census had a total of 3,335 people with the last name Nevels.
About 51% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 468 people named Nevels were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 197 people of this name were documented as black.
Nurse
The 2010 census had a total of 2,786 people with the last name Nurse.
About 69% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 333 people named Nurse were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 76 people of this name were documented as black.
Narcisse
The 2010 census had a total of 2,774 people with the last name Narcisse.
About 89% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 388 people named Narcisse were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 215 people of this name were documented as black.
Nalls
The 2010 census had a total of 2,648 people with the last name Nalls.
About 56% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 286 people named Nalls were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 214 people of this name were documented as black.
Ndiaye
The 2010 census had a total of 2,491 people with the last name Ndiaye.
About 93% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Nickson
The 2010 census had a total of 2,285 people with the last name Nickson.
About 56% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 448 people named Nickson were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 291 people of this name were documented as black.
Nathaniel
The 2010 census had a total of 1,859 people with the last name Nathaniel.
About 63% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 460 people named Nathaniel were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 200 people of this name were documented as black.
Nur
The 2010 census had a total of 1,835 people with the last name Nur.
About 84% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Nwosu
The 2010 census had a total of 1,366 people with the last name Nwosu.
About 96% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Nedd
The 2010 census had a total of 1,330 people with the last name Nedd.
About 85% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 225 people named Nedd were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 39 people of this name were documented as black.
Nimmons
The 2010 census had a total of 1,234 people with the last name Nimmons.
About 55% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 175 people named Nimmons were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 116 people of this name were documented as black.
Ned
The 2010 census had a total of 1,187 people with the last name Ned.
About 69% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 285 people named Ned were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 234 people of this name were documented as black.
Njoroge
The 2010 census had a total of 1,136 people with the last name Njoroge.
About 92% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Nembhard
The 2010 census had a total of 1,092 people with the last name Nembhard.
About 88% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Njoku
The 2010 census had a total of 1,085 people with the last name Njoku.
About 96% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Nails
The 2010 census had a total of 990 people with the last name Nails.
About 58% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 201 people named Nails were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 60 people of this name were documented as black.
Nwankwo
The 2010 census had a total of 981 people with the last name Nwankwo.
About 96% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Nwachukwu
The 2010 census had a total of 951 people with the last name Nwachukwu.
About 96% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Niang
The 2010 census had a total of 888 people with the last name Niang.
About 75% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, one person named Niang was documented as black. Donald Niang was born in Philadelphia.
There were no black holders of the name in the 1900 U.S. census.
Negash
The 2010 census had a total of 878 people with the last name Negash.
About 95% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Nesby
The 2010 census had a total of 855 people with the last name Nesby.
About 76% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 298 people named Nesby were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, 167 people of this name were documented as black.
Njie
The 2010 census had a total of 836 people with the last name Njie.
About 94% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Neloms
The 2010 census had a total of 796 people with the last name Neloms.
About 87% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, 85 people named Neloms were documented as black.
In the 1900 U.S. census, four people of this name were documented as black.
Nazaire
The 2010 census had a total of 737 people with the last name Nazaire.
About 84% identified as Black or African American.
In the 1940 U.S. census, one person named Nazaire were documented as black. Jule Nazaire was born in the West Indies.
There were no black holders of the name in the 1900 U.S. census.
Nganga
The 2010 census had a total of 637 people with the last name Nganga.
About 95% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Njuguna
The 2010 census had a total of 636 people with the last name Njuguna.
About 94% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
Nyarko
The 2010 census had a total of 622 people with the last name Nyarko.
About 95% identified as Black or African American.
Nobody of this name was documented as black in the 1900 or 1940 censuses.
