2000
#8,945
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,361
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.25
Rare Last name
Nice
A nickname-derived surname for a pleasant or agreeable person, or from a place name meaning "at the oak trees."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,252 Americans carry the last name Nice. That puts it at #8,523 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 80,610 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nice 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Nice with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.3K
1 in 80,610
Census rank
#8,523
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,708 bearers of the surname Nice in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8523rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nice, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nice
The surname NICE is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period, deriving from the Old French word "nice," which meant "foolish" or "simple." This term likely evolved from the Latin word "nescius," meaning "ignorant" or "unaware."
The name was initially associated with individuals who were perceived as naive or unsophisticated, often used as a derogatory term. However, over time, the connotation shifted, and the name came to represent qualities like kindness, gentleness, and a pleasant demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the NICE surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the Normandy region of France. It appeared in various historical documents, including tax records and court proceedings, indicating its presence among the local population.
During the Middle Ages, the name NICE was occasionally found in literary works and manuscripts, although references were relatively scarce compared to more common surnames of the time.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the NICE surname was Barthélemy Nice (c. 1510-1580), a French Protestant theologian and reformer. He played a significant role in the spread of Calvinism in France and authored several influential religious texts.
Another prominent individual was Jean Nice (1623-1678), a French painter and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings depicting rural scenes. His works are celebrated for their attention to detail and atmospheric quality.
In the 18th century, Joseph-Ignace Nice (1737-1808) was a French architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Théâtre de l'Odéon and the Palais de la Bourse.
Moving into the 19th century, Édouard Nice (1811-1892) was a French lawyer and politician who served as a member of the National Assembly and played a role in the establishment of the Third Republic.
In the realm of literature, Jacques Nice (1933-2007) was a French poet and writer whose works explored themes of love, nature, and human existence. He received numerous literary awards and accolades throughout his prolific career.
While the NICE surname has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the origins and historical significance of this name can be traced back to the French soil and the linguistic evolution that shaped its meaning over centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nice
Among Census respondents with the surname Nice, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Nice 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 Nice surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.0% · 3,264
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 171
- Two or more races3.1% · 116
- Black or African American2.9% · 106
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 43
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nice
Nice appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,090
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,595
+234 bearers (+7.0%)
Per 100,000 1.22
Rank movement Down 145 places
2020
#8,523
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,708
+113 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 1.24
Rank movement Up 567 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,945 | 3,361 | 1.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,090 | 3,595 | 1.22 | +234 bearers (+7.0%) | Down 145 places |
| 2020 | #8,523 | 3,708 | 1.24 | +113 bearers (+3.1%) | Up 567 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 Nice 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 | #9,090 | #8,523 | 6.2% |
| Count | 3,595 | 3,708 | 3.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.22 | 1.24 | 1.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nice bearers went from 3,595 to 3,708 (+3.1% change). The surname moved up 567 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,090 to #8,523.
FAQ
Nice surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nice?
Name Census estimates that about 4,252 living Americans carry the surname Nice. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 80,610 residents.
How common is Nice?
Nice ranks #8,523 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.24 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,708 people with the surname Nice. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,252), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.24 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Nice.
Has Nice become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nice went from 3,595 recorded bearers to 3,708. That is an increase of 113 (+3.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,090 to #8,523.
What does the Census say about the background of Nice?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nice, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Nice in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.0% (3,264 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nice appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.0%), Hispanic (4.6%), Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Nice (2000, 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 Nice mean?
A nickname-derived surname for a pleasant or agreeable person, or from a place name meaning "at the oak trees." 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 Nice (1.24 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 last name Nice?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Nice at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.