2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Nieb
A variant spelling of the surname Neeb from northern Germany referring to newcomers or recent arrivals.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Nieb. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nieb 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Nieb in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nieb, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Black (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nieb
The surname NIEB originated in the region of Lower Saxony, Germany, during the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Germanic word "nieb," meaning "new" or "newly settled." This suggests that the name was likely given to individuals or families who had recently established themselves in a particular area.
In the early 13th century, the name appeared in several local records and documents, such as parish registers and land transactions. One of the earliest known mentions of the name was in the Annals of Göttingen, a chronicle of events in the region, dated around 1220. The name was spelled "Nieb" or "Niebbe" in these early records.
The NIEB surname was particularly prevalent in the towns and villages around the city of Hildesheim, where it is believed to have originated. Some of the earliest documented individuals bearing this name include Hans Nieb, a landowner in Ruthe, born around 1320, and Greta Nieb, a resident of Söhlde, mentioned in a village census from 1385.
During the 15th century, the name began to spread beyond Lower Saxony as families migrated to other parts of Germany and neighboring regions. This led to variations in the spelling, such as "Niebe," "Niebbe," and "Niebs." One notable figure from this period was Johann Nieb, a merchant and town councilor in Lübeck, who lived from 1435 to 1498.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the NIEB surname appeared in historical records across central and northern Europe. Matthias Nieb, a Lutheran pastor in Magdeburg, born in 1560, was a prominent figure during the Reformation. Another notable individual was Anna Nieb, a midwife in Celle, who lived from 1625 to 1698 and was renowned for her expertise in herbal remedies.
As families continued to migrate and settle in new areas, the NIEB surname spread further, appearing in records from various regions, including the Netherlands, Denmark, and even as far as Russia. One example is Peter Nieb, a Dutch explorer and cartographer who traveled to Siberia in the late 17th century and contributed to the mapping of the region.
Throughout the centuries, the NIEB surname has been associated with various professions and walks of life, from farmers and artisans to academics and professionals. While not a particularly common name, it has maintained a presence in various parts of Europe, carrying with it a rich history and connection to its Germanic roots.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nieb
Among Census respondents with the surname Nieb, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Black (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Nieb 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 Nieb surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- Black or African American2.7% · 3
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nieb
Nieb appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-8 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,124 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+5 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,461 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 18,124 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.8%) | Up 5,461 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 Nieb 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 | #154,907 | #149,446 | 3.5% |
| Count | 105 | 110 | 4.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nieb bearers went from 105 to 110 (+4.8% change). The surname moved up 5,461 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #149,446.
FAQ
Nieb surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nieb?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Nieb. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Nieb?
Nieb ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 110 people with the surname Nieb. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Nieb.
Has Nieb become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nieb went from 105 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 5 (+4.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Nieb?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nieb, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Black (2.7%). 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 Nieb in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nieb appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Hispanic (4.5%), Black (2.7%). 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 Nieb (2000, 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 Nieb mean?
A variant spelling of the surname Neeb from northern Germany referring to newcomers or recent arrivals. 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 Nieb (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Nieb?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.