Find out how popular the last name Mikolay is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Mikolay.

Mikolay, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Mikolay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mikolay in America

Mikolay is the 74141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mikolay surname appeared 261 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Mikolay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mikolay to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Mikolay

The surname MIKOLAY is of Polish origin, and it first emerged in the 12th century AD. The name is derived from the Polish given name "Mikołaj," which is the equivalent of the English name "Nicholas." The name itself has roots in the Greek words "nikos" and "laos," meaning "victory" and "people," respectively.

In its earliest recorded instances, MIKOLAY was spelled in various ways, such as "Mikolai," "Mikolaj," and "Mikolaye." These variations were common during the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions. The name was often associated with individuals from the regions of Silesia, Greater Poland, and Lesser Poland, which were part of the historical Kingdom of Poland.

One of the earliest known references to the MIKOLAY surname can be found in the Liber Beneficiorum, a 14th-century manuscript that recorded the names of individuals who held ecclesiastical positions in the Diocese of Krakow. The document mentions a certain "Mikolaus de Cracovia," indicating the presence of the name in the city of Krakow during that time period.

In the 15th century, the MIKOLAY surname gained prominence with the birth of Mikołaj Kopernik (1473-1543), better known as Nicolaus Copernicus, the renowned Polish astronomer who proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system. His groundbreaking work, "De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium," challenged the geocentric model that had been widely accepted for centuries.

Another notable figure bearing the MIKOLAY surname was Mikołaj Rej (1505-1569), a Polish writer, poet, and philosopher. He is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the development of the Polish literary language and is often referred to as the "Father of Polish Literature."

In the 16th century, the MIKOLAY surname was also associated with Mikołaj Smieszkowic (c. 1550-1615), a Polish military commander and nobleman who played a significant role in the Polish-Swedish Wars. He is particularly remembered for his heroic defense of the city of Smolensk against the Swedish forces in 1609-1611.

Moving into the 17th century, the name MIKOLAY was carried by Mikołaj Zebrzydowski (1553-1620), a Polish nobleman, politician, and military leader. He was a prominent figure during the Polish-Muscovite War (1609-1618) and is known for leading the Zebrzydowski Rebellion, a significant uprising against King Sigismund III Vasa.

The MIKOLAY surname continued to be present in various historical records and documents throughout the subsequent centuries, reflecting its deep roots in Polish history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mikolay

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Mikolay.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Mikolay was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Mikolay has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Mikolay was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mikolay, please contact us.

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