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

Nieve, 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 Nieve surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nieve in America

Nieve is the 99845th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nieve surname appeared 181 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 Nieve.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nieve 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 Nieve

The surname Nieve originated in Spain during the medieval period, derived from the Spanish word "nieve" meaning "snow." It was likely initially a descriptive nickname given to someone with a pale complexion or perhaps a person who lived in a snowy region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nieve can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a 14th-century document that recorded landholdings and vassalage in the Crown of Castile. This suggests the name was already in use by that time in the Iberian Peninsula.

In the 16th century, the Spanish explorer Diego Nieve accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico, becoming one of the first Europeans to set foot in what is now Mexico City. His participation in this historic event underscores the presence of the Nieve surname during the era of Spanish colonization in the Americas.

The surname Nieve can also be traced back to the Basque region of Spain, where it may have originated as a topographic name referring to a person living near a snowy area or a place name derived from the Basque word "negu," meaning "winter."

One notable bearer of the Nieve surname was Francisco Nieve, a Spanish painter born in Seville in 1670. He was known for his religious works and is considered a representative of the Baroque style in Spanish art.

Another individual of historical significance was José Nieve, a Spanish military officer who fought against the French during the Peninsular War in the early 19th century. His bravery and leadership earned him recognition and numerous honors from the Spanish monarchy.

In the 20th century, the Spanish writer and journalist Antonio Nieve (1912-1988) gained prominence for his work in chronicling the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath. His vivid accounts and insightful analysis of the conflict have become invaluable resources for scholars and historians alike.

While the Nieve surname originated in Spain, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and Spanish influence. Variations of the name can be found in countries with significant Spanish heritage, such as Mexico, Argentina, and the Philippines.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nieve

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

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

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

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