Nail
Nail is a surname most likely formed from a house or place name, though some lines of evidence also point to a link with the word for a nail or spike.
The #4,936 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 43,284 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname has at least two plausible roots in the historical sources. One line derives it from a local name or sign, especially Middle English forms like "atten ale" or "at the alehouse," which could later be worn down into Nail. Another possibility connects it with the Old English and related Germanic word for a nail or spike, as seen in cognates such as Old English and Old High German forms meaning "nail."
History
Bardsley treats Nail as a survival of an older place-by-preposition pattern, while Harrison also notes a possible derivation from the old word for nail. Because both explanations appear in the older literature, the surname should be handled cautiously rather than as a single-origin name. In modern records it is relatively uncommon, but it has persisted in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley gives "Nail" as an example of how an old phrase like "atte(n) ale" could fossilize into a surname.
From the historical record
“Nagel in the Eure Dept. NAIL 1 ( Eng. ) I the A.-Sax. pers. name HMLEyNcegel : v. under Nagel, &c. 2 v. Naie. NA!!:OR}^Nayler,Naylor. NAIRN "[(Celt.) Bel. to Nairn, formerly NAIRNE J Invemaim=MovTH or the Nairn”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)