2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Nidy
A surname of Middle English origin, possibly a variant of the name "Nutt".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 111 Americans carry the last name Nidy. That puts it at #156,449 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,087,877 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nidy 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
111
1 in 3,087,877
Census rank
#156,449
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
97
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 97 bearers of the surname Nidy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156449th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nidy, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Black (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nidy
The surname NIDY is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, with its roots likely derived from the Old English word "niede," meaning "need" or "necessity." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive one, potentially referring to an occupation or personal characteristic associated with meeting needs or providing essential services.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the NIDY surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex, a historical record of tax payments, dating back to the late 12th century. This document mentions a certain Walter Nidy, who was a landowner in the county during that time.
In the 13th century, the name appears in the Feet of Fines for Oxfordshire, a legal record documenting land transactions. This entry refers to a Peter Nidy, who was involved in a property dispute in the year 1274.
During the 14th century, the NIDY surname seems to have gained prominence in various parts of England. The Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire, a tax record from 1327, lists a John Nidy among the taxpayers. Additionally, the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire in 1332 mention a Thomas Nidy, suggesting the name's presence in multiple regions.
One notable individual bearing the NIDY surname was Sir William Nidy, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the late 14th century. Records indicate that he served in the military campaigns of King Edward III and was granted lands in Gloucestershire for his service.
In the 15th century, the NIDY name can be found in the Court Rolls of Manors, which documented legal proceedings and land transactions. These records mention individuals such as Robert Nidy, who was involved in a property dispute in Lincolnshire in 1468.
Another notable figure from this period was Elizabeth Nidy, born around 1450 in Warwickshire. She was a prominent benefactor and philanthropist who contributed to the construction of a church and a charitable institution in her hometown.
As the centuries progressed, the NIDY surname continued to appear in various records across England, with variations in spelling such as Niddy, Niddye, and Nidey. While the name's prevalence may have fluctuated over time, it has maintained a presence throughout the country's history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nidy
Among Census respondents with the surname Nidy, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Black (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Nidy 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 Nidy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.8% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 4
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nidy
Nidy appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#156,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 97
-16 bearers (-14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,248 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #156,449 | 97 | 0.03 | -16 bearers (-14.2%) | Down 10,248 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 Nidy 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 | #146,201 | #156,449 | -7.0% |
| Count | 113 | 97 | -14.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -18.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nidy bearers went from 113 to 97 (-14.2% change). The surname moved down 10,248 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #156,449.
FAQ
Nidy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nidy?
Name Census estimates that about 111 living Americans carry the surname Nidy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,087,877 residents.
How common is Nidy?
Nidy ranks #156,449 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 97 people with the surname Nidy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (111), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Nidy.
Has Nidy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nidy went from 113 recorded bearers to 97. That is a decrease of 16 (-14.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #156,449.
What does the Census say about the background of Nidy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nidy, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Black (1.0%). 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 Nidy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.8% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nidy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.8%), Hispanic (4.1%), Black (1.0%). 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 Nidy (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 Nidy mean?
A surname of Middle English origin, possibly a variant of the name "Nutt". 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 Nidy (0.03 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 Nidy?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.