2000
#118,236
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Nicita
An Italian surname meaning "the little conqueror" or "victorious one".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Nicita. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nicita 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Nicita in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nicita, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nicita
The surname NICITA is of Italian origin, with roots tracing back to the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, likely between the 11th and 13th centuries.
The name NICITA is thought to be derived from the Greek word "niketes," meaning "victor" or "conqueror." This suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon an individual or family who achieved a significant victory, either in battle or through other notable accomplishments.
Sicily has a rich history of Greek influence, dating back to the establishment of Greek colonies on the island in the 8th century BC. The incorporation of Greek linguistic elements into Sicilian names and surnames is a reflection of this cultural exchange.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname NICITA can be found in the Sicilian town of Monreale, where a family bearing this name is documented in the 14th century. The town's medieval cathedral, renowned for its intricate mosaics, was constructed during this period, and it is possible that members of the NICITA family played a role in its creation or were involved in the artistic community of the time.
Another notable figure associated with the surname NICITA was Antonino Nicita, a 16th-century Sicilian architect and sculptor. He is credited with designing several churches and chapels in the baroque style, which flourished in Sicily during the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
In the 19th century, a prominent individual named Vincenzo Nicita (1812-1886) achieved recognition as a Sicilian writer and politician. He served as a deputy in the Italian parliament and was known for his works on Sicilian culture and history.
Another individual of note was Giuseppe Nicita (1870-1945), a Sicilian artist and painter who specialized in portraiture and landscapes. His works are housed in various galleries and museums in Italy and abroad.
Lastly, a more contemporary figure is Maria Nicita (born 1954), an Italian economist and academic. She has held positions at several prestigious universities and has contributed to the field of economic theory and policy analysis.
While the surname NICITA is predominantly associated with Sicily and Italy, it has likely spread to other parts of the world through immigration and diaspora communities over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nicita
Among Census respondents with the surname Nicita, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Nicita 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 Nicita surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 111
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 6
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nicita
Nicita 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
#118,853
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 146
+10 bearers (+7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 617 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-28 bearers (-19.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,658 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,236 | 136 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #118,853 | 146 | 0.05 | +10 bearers (+7.4%) | Down 617 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -28 bearers (-19.2%) | Down 24,658 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 Nicita 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 | #118,853 | #143,511 | -20.7% |
| Count | 146 | 118 | -19.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nicita bearers went from 146 to 118 (-19.2% change). The surname moved down 24,658 positions in the national ranking, going from #118,853 to #143,511.
FAQ
Nicita surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nicita?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Nicita. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Nicita?
Nicita ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Nicita. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Nicita.
Has Nicita become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nicita went from 146 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 28 (-19.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #118,853 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Nicita?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nicita, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Nicita in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nicita appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Hispanic (5.1%), Two or More Races (0.8%). 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 Nicita (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 Nicita mean?
An Italian surname meaning "the little conqueror" or "victorious one". 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 Nicita (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 Nicita?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.