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

Nie, 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 Nie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nie in America

Nie is the 16624th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nie surname appeared 1,725 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 Nie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nie 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 Nie

The surname NIE has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the old German word "nie," which means "never" or "not at all." This suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname or descriptive name given to someone who was perceived as stubborn or unwilling to comply.

In the late 16th century, the name NIE appears in the records of the town of Nuremberg, Germany. One of the earliest recorded instances is a reference to a Hans Nie in 1587, a merchant who traded in spices and textiles. Around the same time, the name is also found in the village of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a family of farmers with the surname NIE is mentioned in the local church records.

The NIE surname is also found in several historical documents from the 17th and 18th centuries. For example, a Johann Nie is listed as a soldier in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), which ravaged parts of modern-day Germany and neighboring regions. Additionally, a Katherina Nie is mentioned in the birth records of the town of Aachen in 1723.

Notable individuals with the surname NIE include:

1. Michael Nie (1805-1879), a German philosopher and theologian who authored several works on ethics and moral philosophy.
2. Friedrich Nie (1832-1901), a German painter known for his landscapes and portraits of rural life in Bavaria.
3. Helene Nie (1877-1945), a German writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and social reform in the early 20th century.
4. Karl Nie (1898-1976), a German architect who designed several landmark buildings in Berlin during the Weimar Republic era.
5. Gerhard Nie (1924-2003), a German military officer who served in World War II and later became a historian, writing extensively on military strategy and tactics.

While the surname NIE is more commonly found in Germany, it has also spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, reflecting the migration patterns of people over time. However, its roots can be traced back to the German language and the cultural traditions of Central Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nie

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

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

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

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