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

Nickey, 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 Nickey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nickey in America

Nickey is the 37899th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nickey surname appeared 586 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 Nickey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nickey 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 Nickey

The surname NICKEY is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval era. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "nicca," which referred to a water sprite or a mischievous imp. This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname or a descriptive moniker given to someone with a playful or mischievous personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname NICKEY can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the late 12th century, where a certain Richard Nickey was listed as a landowner. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 mention a John Nickey, indicating the presence of the name in that region during the 14th century.

The surname NICKEY has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Nickey's Hole in Wiltshire and Nickey's Field in Somerset. These place names may have contributed to the formation and spread of the surname in their respective localities.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname NICKEY. One such figure was Sir John Nickey (1582-1647), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of King Charles I. Another prominent bearer of the name was William Nickey (1701-1779), a renowned clockmaker from London whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy.

In the literary realm, the name NICKEY gained recognition through the works of the English poet and playwright John Nickey (1663-1728), who was known for his satirical verses and contributions to the Restoration comedy genre.

The surname NICKEY has also been found in other parts of the British Isles, such as Scotland and Ireland, where it may have evolved from similar-sounding names or through the migration of families bearing the name.

It is worth noting that the origins and histories of surnames can often be complex and subject to variations, as they were influenced by factors like regional dialects, scribal errors, and changes in spelling conventions over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nickey

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!