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

Nigo, 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 Nigo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nigo in America

Nigo is the 110286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nigo surname appeared 160 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 Nigo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nigo 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 Nigo

The surname NIGO is believed to have originated in Italy, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Latin word "niger," meaning black or dark-colored, and may have been initially used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.

Early references to the name can be found in various Italian historical documents, including medieval tax rolls and land records. One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Giacomo Nigo, a merchant from Genoa mentioned in a trade agreement dated 1187.

As the name spread across Italy, regional variations in spelling emerged, such as Nigro, Nigrone, and Nigrelli. These variations likely reflected local dialects and pronunciation differences. It's worth noting that the name Nigo also shared similarities with the Italian word "nego," meaning "I deny" or "I refuse," though a direct etymological connection is uncertain.

In the 14th century, the Nigo surname appeared in the Florentine Codex, a historical chronicle of notable Florentine families. This record mentions a Francesco Nigo, a respected lawyer and diplomat who served as an ambassador for the Republic of Florence in the 1360s.

As the Nigo family spread throughout Italy over the centuries, some members achieved notable status. One such individual was Girolamo Nigo, a 16th-century Venetian artist known for his intricate woodcarvings and sculptures adorning churches and palaces in the Veneto region.

Another notable bearer of the Nigo surname was Giovanni Battista Nigo, a 17th-century composer and organist from Naples. His works, including sacred motets and instrumental pieces, were widely performed and admired during the Italian Baroque period.

In more recent times, the surname Nigo has been carried by several accomplished individuals, such as Alessandro Nigo, a 20th-century Italian physicist who made significant contributions to the study of particle accelerators. Additionally, Luciano Nigo, born in 1922, was a renowned Italian journalist and war correspondent who covered major conflicts from World War II to the Vietnam War.

While the surname Nigo remains relatively uncommon outside of Italy, its rich history and connections to various influential figures throughout the centuries continue to be a source of interest for genealogists and historians alike.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nigo

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

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

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

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