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

Nigro, 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 Nigro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nigro in America

Nigro is the 7016th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nigro surname appeared 4,773 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Nigro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nigro 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 Nigro

The surname Nigro has its origins in Italy, where it first emerged in the medieval period, likely during the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Latin word "niger," meaning "black," and was likely initially given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone with dark hair or complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Nigro can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Barese," a collection of historical documents from the region of Bari in southern Italy, dating back to the 11th century. In this collection, the name appears as "Nigro" and "Nigri," suggesting its early use as a surname in the area.

As the surname spread across Italy, it took on various spellings and regional variations, such as "Nigri," "Nigris," and "Nigrone." These variations reflect the historical linguistic diversity of the Italian peninsula, where dialects and regional languages influenced the spelling and pronunciation of surnames.

In the 15th century, the Nigro family was prominent in the city of Naples, where they held influential positions in the local government and were involved in the arts and literature. One notable member of this family was Girolamo Nigro (1456-1523), a renowned humanist scholar and poet who served as a secretary to several Italian rulers, including King Ferdinand I of Naples.

Another notable figure with the surname Nigro was Carlo Nigro (1645-1718), an Italian architect and engineer who worked on various important projects in Naples and its surrounding areas. His most famous work is the Palazzo Reale di Quisisana, a grand palace commissioned by the King of Naples in the late 17th century.

In the 19th century, Giovanni Nigro (1824-1892) was a prominent Italian politician and lawyer who served as a deputy in the Italian Parliament and played a significant role in the unification of Italy.

The surname Nigro has also been found in other parts of Europe, particularly in Spain and Portugal, where it likely arrived through Italian migration and trade connections. One example is Miguel Nigro (1553-1629), a Spanish painter and engraver who worked in Seville during the Golden Age of Spanish art.

Throughout its history, the surname Nigro has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, politicians, and professionals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nigro

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

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

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

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