<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-12-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000070487</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATIONAL RESEARCH CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NRCI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001484742</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TRUST CREATED UNDER THE MICHAEL D. HAYS 2010 TWO-YEAR GRAT AGREEMENT DATED FEBRUARY 8, 2010</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O JEFFERY T. PEETZ, WOODS &amp; AITKEN LLP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>301 S. 13TH ST., SUITE 500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LINCOLN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>68508</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001460580</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Peetz Jeffery T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>WOODS &amp; AITKEN LLP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>301 S. 13TH ST., SUITE 500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LINCOLN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>68508</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1250000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>29.215</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks>This Form 4 is being filed by Jeffery T. Peetz, as Special Holdings Direction Adviser under the Michael D. Hays 2010 Two-Year GRAT Agreement dated February 8, 2010 (the &quot;Trust Agreement&quot;), and the Trust created under the Trust Agreement.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jeffery T. Peetz, Special Holdings Direction Adviser</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-12-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jeffery T. Peetz, as Special Holdings Direction Adviser</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-12-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
