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

Niebuhr, 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 Niebuhr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Niebuhr in America

Niebuhr is the 22346th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Niebuhr surname appeared 1,153 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 Niebuhr.

We can also compare 2010 data for Niebuhr 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 Niebuhr

The surname Niebuhr originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Low German word "niebuhr," which means "new farmer" or "new peasant." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who was a new settler or farmer in a particular area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records and documents from northern Germany, particularly in the regions of Lower Saxony and Bremen. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Hinrich Niebuhr, who was mentioned in a record from the city of Bremen in 1382.

In the 16th century, the name Niebuhr appeared in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of several villages and towns in the Duchy of Bremen and the Principality of Lüneburg. These records often contained variations in spelling, such as Niebuhr, Niebur, and Niebuhr.

One notable historical figure with the surname Niebuhr was Carsten Niebuhr (1733-1815), a German mathematician, cartographer, and explorer. He is best known for his participation in the Danish Arabia Expedition (1761-1767), during which he explored parts of the Middle East and documented his findings in detailed maps and descriptions.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Barthold Georg Niebuhr (1776-1831), a German statesman and historian. He is considered one of the founders of modern historical studies and is renowned for his work on Roman history, particularly his influential work "The History of Rome."

In the 19th century, Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) was a prominent American theologian and commentator on public affairs. He is known for his influential work on Christian ethics and his contributions to the development of Christian realism, a theological perspective that emphasized the reality of human sin and the need for a realistic approach to social and political issues.

Other notable individuals with the surname Niebuhr include Elisabeth Niebuhr (1892-1984), an American theologian and author who focused on religious education and Christian ethics, and Richard R. Niebuhr (1894-1962), an American theologian and ethicist who is best known for his book "Christ and Culture."

While the surname Niebuhr has its roots in northern Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the Low German word "niebuhr" and its association with new farmers or settlers in medieval Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Niebuhr

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

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

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

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