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

Nika, 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 Nika surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nika in America

Nika is the 62531st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nika surname appeared 320 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 Nika.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nika 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 Nika

The surname NIKA is believed to have its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly in the Slavic regions of Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. It is thought to derive from the Slavic root "nik," which translates to "victory" or "conqueror." This suggests that the name may have been given as a descriptive surname to individuals who were victorious in battle or displayed great strength and prowess.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname NIKA can be found in the Veliky Novgorod Republic, a medieval East Slavic state located in modern-day Russia. The Novgorod Codex, a compilation of legal texts dating back to the 13th century, contains references to individuals bearing the surname NIKA. This provides evidence that the name was in use among the Slavic population of the region during that time period.

The NIKA surname also appears in various historical documents and manuscripts from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, a multi-ethnic union that existed from the late 14th to the late 18th century. These records indicate that the name was present among the Ruthenian (Ukrainian) and Polish populations within the Commonwealth.

One notable individual bearing the surname NIKA was Yuri Nika (c. 1510-1570), a Ruthenian noble and military commander who served under the Polish-Lithuanian monarchy. He played a significant role in the Livonian War against Russia and was renowned for his strategic abilities on the battlefield.

Another prominent figure with the surname NIKA was Ivan Nika (1640-1718), a Russian merchant and landowner from the city of Arkhangelsk. He was a prominent member of the local mercantile community and amassed considerable wealth through his trading ventures.

In the 18th century, the NIKA surname can be found in the records of the Cossack settlements along the Dnieper River in modern-day Ukraine. One notable figure from this era was Grigory Nika (1725-1795), a Cossack leader who participated in the Pugachev Rebellion against Catherine the Great's rule in Russia.

The village of Nikitovka, located in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, is believed to have derived its name from the NIKA surname, suggesting that families bearing this name may have been among the early settlers in the area.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, individuals with the surname NIKA can be found in various records and documents from Russia, Ukraine, and Poland, indicating the continued presence and spread of this name across Eastern Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nika

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

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

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

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