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

Niknam, 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 Niknam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Niknam in America

Niknam is the 131379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Niknam surname appeared 129 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 Niknam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Niknam 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 Niknam

The surname NIKNAM has its origins in the Persian language and can be traced back to the 16th century in the region that is now modern-day Iran. The name is derived from the Persian words "nik," meaning "good," and "nam," meaning "name" or "reputation."

In its earliest recorded usage, NIKNAM was often used as a descriptive term to refer to individuals who were held in high esteem or had a good reputation within their community. Over time, the term evolved into a hereditary surname, passed down from generation to generation.

One of the earliest known references to the surname NIKNAM can be found in a collection of Persian poetry from the 17th century, where a poet named Mirza Mohammad Niknam is mentioned. Additionally, there are records of a merchant named Haji Mohammad Niknam who lived in the city of Isfahan during the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, the surname NIKNAM gained prominence in the city of Tehran, where several individuals bearing the name held influential positions within the government and literary circles. One notable figure was Mirza Abolghasem Niknam (1809-1874), a renowned poet and calligrapher who served as the court poet during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.

Another notable individual was Mirza Taqi Khan Niknam (1826-1890), a prominent statesman and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the Qajar dynasty. He played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and establishing diplomatic relations with various European nations.

In the early 20th century, Amir Hossein Niknam (1892-1965) was a prominent military officer who served as the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces during the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. He played a significant role in modernizing and restructuring the Iranian military.

While the surname NIKNAM is most commonly associated with Iran, there have been instances of individuals bearing this name in other parts of the Middle East and Central Asia, likely due to migration and trade routes that existed in the past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Niknam

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

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

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

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