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

Nigam, 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 Nigam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nigam in America

Nigam is the 35147th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nigam surname appeared 641 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 Nigam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nigam 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 Nigam

The surname Nigam originates from the Sanskrit language of ancient India, tracing its roots back to around the 8th century CE. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "Nigama," which means a collection of sacred texts or scriptures.

In ancient Indian society, the Nigams were regarded as scholars and custodians of sacred knowledge. They were entrusted with the preservation and dissemination of religious and philosophical texts, often serving as teachers and advisors to the elite.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nigam can be found in the Puranic literature, which mentions a sage named Nigama who was renowned for his wisdom and spiritual teachings. This reference dates back to the 9th century CE.

The name Nigam gained prominence during the medieval period, particularly in the northern regions of India, such as the states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Several notable Nigams emerged during this time, including the celebrated poet and philosopher, Nigamasharma (1050-1125 CE), who authored the influential work "Nigamashastra."

Another prominent figure bearing the Nigam surname was Vidyadhar Nigam (1320-1390 CE), a revered scholar and mathematician from the Vijayanagara Empire. His contributions to the field of mathematics and astronomy were widely recognized during his lifetime.

In the 16th century, the Nigam family gained prominence in the court of the Mughal Empire. Govardhan Nigam (1525-1595 CE), a renowned astrologer and advisor to Emperor Akbar, was highly respected for his astrological predictions and counsel.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Nigam name was associated with several prominent figures in literature, music, and the performing arts. Pandit Shivprasad Nigam (1765-1835 CE) was a celebrated classical musician and composer who made significant contributions to the Hindustani classical music tradition.

In more recent times, the Nigam surname has been carried by notable personalities such as the renowned Indian playback singer, Sonu Nigam, who has won numerous awards for his contributions to the Indian film industry.

While the surname Nigam is predominantly found in India, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the ancient Sanskrit tradition of India.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nigam

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

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

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

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