Surname Nancy - Meaning and Origin

Nancy: What does the surname Nancy mean?

The last name Nancy is not particularly common, and can be considered as relatively rare. Its origins are not clearly defined and the meaning behind it is not well known. It is generally believed to be of English origin, derived potentially from the feminine first name 'Nancy'. This first name was originally a diminutive form of 'Anne' or 'Agnes'. Anne is of Hebrew origin and means 'grace', while Agnes is of Greek origin and means 'pure' or 'holy'. However, when used as a surname, the patriarchal ancestry or the geographic origins associated with the name would be more significant than the literal meaning. More commonly known as a given name, 'Nancy' is less frequently used as a surname. The definitive meaning and origin of the surname Nancy may be better clarified through genealogical research.

Nancy: Where does the name Nancy come from?

Nancy is a popular surname in both Europe and the Americas. In Europe, countries like France, Spain, and Italy currently have large populations of those with the last name Nancy. In the French-speaking world, Nancy is an incredibly common surname, particularly in France where it ranked as the 48th most popular last name in 2019. In Spain, it ranked 60th and in Italy it was 94th.

In the Americas, it is an especially common surname in the United States, where it was the 254th most popular name in 2020 according to the Social Security Administration. It is also popular in other countries such as Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and Chile, with Nancy ranking as a top 500 name in all of these countries.

In the Philippines, Nancy is not an especially common last name, but is slowly becoming more popular, climbing up the baby name lists over the past few years.

Variations of the surname Nancy

Nancy is a name that is derived from the French form of the name Ann, which is derived from the Hebrew name Hannah, which means "grace".

Variants of the name Nancy include Nance, Nan, Nancie, Nancey, Nannie, Nanci, Nancilee, Nancoli, Nanine, Nana, Nanna, Nanney, Nannette, Nannii, Nannette, Nannecy, Nannie-Lynn, Nanno, Nanny, Nanon, Nannette, Nancee, Nanncy, Nansee, Nansy, Nancii, Nansee, Nansi, Nensi, Nenci, Nensey, Nenssie, and Nensy.

Common surname variants of Nancy include Nanney, Nann, Nannette, Nanny, and Nannini.

Other related surnames include Ann, Annis, Annice, Annison, Annon, Annable, Annie, Annett, and Annisette.

Famous people with the name Nancy

• Nancy Pelosi: politician and speaker of the United States House of Representatives since 2019.
• Nancy Sinatra: singer, actress and daughter of legendary American singer Frank Sinatra.
• Nancy Reagan: a former American First Lady and the wife of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan.
• Nancy Grace: legal commentator, television host, television journalist and former prosecutor.
• Nancy Wilson: American singer, songwriter and guitarist.
• Nancy Kerrigan: American figure skater who competed in the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics.
• Nancy Marchand: American actress best known for her roles in “The Sopranos” and “Lou Grant”.
• Nancy McKeon: actress best known for her roles in “The Facts of Life” and “The Division”.
• Nancy Duchene: French swimmer and Olympic champion.
• Nancy Kwan: Hong Kong-born American actress best known for the film “The World of Suzie Wong”.

Other surnames

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