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

Nick, 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 Nick surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nick in America

Nick is the 9100th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nick surname appeared 3,590 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Nick.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nick 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 Nick

The surname NICK has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Middle English word "nik," which means "nickname" or "to give a nickname." The name likely originated as a descriptive surname, given to someone who was known by a particular nickname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname NICK can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a person named Richard Nic is mentioned. The name is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a William Nik is listed.

In the 13th century, the name NICK was predominantly found in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire, suggesting that these areas were where the name first took root. Variants of the spelling included Nik, Nikke, and Nycke.

A notable early bearer of the surname was John Nick, who was born in Abingdon, Berkshire, around 1320. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town.

In the 14th century, the surname NICK began to appear in other parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. During this period, the name was sometimes associated with place names, such as Nickby or Nicktown, though the exact origins of these places are unclear.

In the 15th century, a branch of the NICK family settled in Huntingdonshire, where they became landowners and prominent members of the local community. One notable figure from this line was Robert Nick, who was born in 1472 and served as the High Sheriff of Huntingdonshire in 1505.

Another notable bearer of the surname was William Nick, who was born in Oxfordshire in 1587. He was a scholar and translator, best known for his English translation of Machiavelli's "The Prince" in 1640.

In the 17th century, the NICK surname continued to spread across England, with families established in counties such as Warwickshire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire. One notable figure from this period was Thomas Nick, who was born in Warwickshire in 1635 and became a successful merchant and landowner.

As the surname NICK grew more widespread, it also began to appear in various records and documents, such as parish registers, tax rolls, and court records. This has provided valuable information for tracing the history and migration patterns of families with this surname over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nick

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

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 Nick 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 Nick 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 Nick was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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