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

Nikas, 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 Nikas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nikas in America

Nikas is the 63373rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nikas surname appeared 315 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 Nikas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nikas 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 Nikas

The surname "NIKAS" is of Greek origin and can be traced back to the Byzantine era, specifically the 11th century. It is believed to have originated from the Greek word "nikao," which means "to conquer" or "to overcome." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who had achieved notable victories or triumphs.

In ancient Greek manuscripts, the name Nikas can be found in various forms, such as "Niketas" or "Nikitas." These variations were quite common during the Byzantine period and were often used interchangeably with the modern spelling of "Nikas."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nikas can be found in the chronicles of the Byzantine historian Anna Komnene, who wrote extensively about the reign of her father, Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118). She mentions a prominent military commander named Niketas Kastamonites, who played a significant role in the emperor's campaigns against the Seljuk Turks.

During the medieval period, the surname Nikas was particularly prevalent in the regions of Macedonia and Thrace, which were part of the Byzantine Empire. It is believed that some families bearing this name may have originated from villages or towns with names derived from the Greek word "nike," meaning victory.

One notable figure with the surname Nikas was Nikephoros Nikas, a Byzantine general and statesman who lived in the late 11th century. He served under the Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and played a crucial role in the defense of Constantinople against the Pechenegs, a semi-nomadic Turkic people.

In the 14th century, a distinguished scholar and theologian named Nikephoros Nikas Chumnos was known for his philosophical writings and his contributions to the field of astronomy. He served as the chief minister of the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos.

Another prominent individual with the surname Nikas was Georgios Nikas, a Greek painter and iconographer who lived in the 16th century. He was renowned for his religious artworks and frescoes, many of which can still be found in churches and monasteries throughout Greece.

During the 17th century, the name Nikas was associated with a family of Greek merchants and traders who had established successful businesses in the city of Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, Turkey). One member of this family, Konstantinos Nikas, was a respected merchant and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the Greek community in Smyrna.

As the centuries passed, the surname Nikas continued to be carried by individuals of Greek descent, and it can still be found in various regions of Greece, as well as in Greek communities around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nikas

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

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

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

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