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

Nickum, 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 Nickum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nickum in America

Nickum is the 60045th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nickum surname appeared 336 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 Nickum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nickum 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 Nickum

The surname NICKUM is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It likely derived from the Old English words "nicca" meaning "male kin" and "ham" signifying a homestead or village. This suggests that the name initially referred to a settlement or dwelling place associated with a particular kinsman or family group.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Nicaham" in reference to a place in Berkshire. This supports the theory that NICKUM originated as a locational surname, initially denoting someone who hailed from a specific hamlet or manor bearing a similar name.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various medieval records with spellings such as "Nykham," "Nycham," and "Nykum," reflecting the linguistic evolution and regional variations of the time. One notable mention is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a certain "Robertus de Nykham" is listed as a landholder in Buckinghamshire.

By the 16th century, the surname had solidified into its modern spelling of NICKUM. One of the earliest recorded bearers of this spelling was John Nickum, born in 1519 in Gloucestershire. Another notable figure was William Nickum, a merchant and landowner in Oxfordshire, who lived from 1562 to 1635.

In the 17th century, the NICKUM name gained some prominence with Thomas Nickum (1618-1692), a prominent clergyman and rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire. His contemporary, Richard Nickum (1625-1699), was a respected lawyer and judge in London.

As the surname spread across England, it became associated with various place names that shared similar roots, such as Neckham in Kent and Nackington in Surrey. This further reinforced the locational origins of the name.

Throughout history, several other individuals bearing the NICKUM surname have made their mark in various fields. These include Sir Edward Nickum (1732-1811), a distinguished military officer who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War, and Mary Nickum (1784-1862), a renowned author and poet from Yorkshire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nickum

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

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

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

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