2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Nicaud
A French surname derived from a nickname for a foolish or silly person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Nicaud. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nicaud surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Nicaud in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nicaud, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.6%) and Two or More Races (6.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nicaud
The surname NICAUD originated in France during the early medieval period, likely in the northern regions such as Normandy or Brittany. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "nicaud," which was a derogatory term used to describe a simple or foolish person.
One of the earliest known references to the name NICAUD can be found in the Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Père de Chartres, a collection of charters and documents from the 11th century. In this record, a landowner named Robertus Nicaud is mentioned as donating property to the abbey.
During the 12th century, the name NICAUD appeared in various records throughout northern France, including the Livre des Vassaux, a feudal register from the Duchy of Normandy. This suggests that the name may have originated from a nickname given to an ancestor who was perceived as simple or naive.
In the 13th century, a notable figure with the surname NICAUD was Jean Nicaud, a merchant from the city of Rouen. He is recorded as having participated in trade expeditions to England and the Low Countries between 1230 and 1250.
The Hundred Years' War between England and France (1337-1453) saw the emergence of several military leaders with the surname NICAUD. One such individual was Guillaume Nicaud, a knight who fought alongside Joan of Arc during the siege of Orléans in 1429.
During the Renaissance period, the NICAUD name gained prominence in the world of arts and literature. Pierre Nicaud (1510-1582) was a renowned poet and playwright from Paris, known for his satirical works and contributions to the development of French theater.
Another notable figure was Marie Nicaud (1680-1754), a French botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy. She is credited with discovering and documenting several new plant species during her travels throughout Europe.
In the 18th century, Jacques Nicaud (1725-1801) was a prominent architect who designed several iconic buildings in Paris, including the Hôtel de Salm and the Théâtre de l'Odéon. His innovative use of neoclassical styles and attention to detail earned him widespread recognition and patronage from the French nobility.
Throughout its history, the surname NICAUD has been associated with various professions, from merchants and soldiers to artists and scholars. While its origins may have stemmed from a derogatory term, the name has evolved to hold a respected and distinguished place in French culture and history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nicaud
Among Census respondents with the surname Nicaud, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.6%) and Two or More Races (6.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Nicaud bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Nicaud surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.8% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino8.6% · 10
- Two or more races6.9% · 8
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nicaud
Nicaud appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+12 bearers (+11.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,016 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.5%) | Up 11,016 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Nicaud surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #145,028 | 7.1% |
| Count | 104 | 116 | 11.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nicaud bearers went from 104 to 116 (+11.5% change). The surname moved up 11,016 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #145,028.
FAQ
Nicaud surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nicaud?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Nicaud. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Nicaud?
Nicaud ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Nicaud. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Nicaud.
Has Nicaud become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nicaud went from 104 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 12 (+11.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Nicaud?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nicaud, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.6%) and Two or More Races (6.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Nicaud in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.8% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nicaud appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.8%), Hispanic (8.6%), Two or More Races (6.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Nicaud (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Nicaud mean?
A French surname derived from a nickname for a foolish or silly person. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Nicaud (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Nicaud?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.