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

Nikola, 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 Nikola surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nikola in America

Nikola is the 94311th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nikola surname appeared 194 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 Nikola.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nikola 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 Nikola

The surname NIKOLA is of Serbian origin, with roots dating back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Greek name "Nikolaos," which means "victory of the people." The earliest known records of the name appear in various church documents and local registries from the Serbian region.

In the late 15th century, the name NIKOLA gained prominence among Serbian nobility and landowners. Notable figures from this era include Nikola Petrović (1459-1520), a wealthy merchant and landowner from the town of Smederevo, and Nikola Stanišić (1483-1547), a respected military leader who fought against the Ottoman Empire.

The NIKOLA surname can be traced to several villages and towns across Serbia, including Nikola Selo (meaning "Nikola's Village") in the southern region of the country. This village was first mentioned in a 1389 document, indicating the longstanding presence of the name in the area.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the NIKOLA surname spread throughout the Balkans and other parts of Europe due to migration and trade. One notable figure was Nikola Jurišić (1490-1556), a Croatian military commander who served under the Habsburg Empire and played a crucial role in defending Croatia against Ottoman invaders.

In the 18th century, NIKOLA became a prominent surname among Serbian intellectuals and writers. Nikola Teodorović (1711-1786) was a renowned Serbian poet and translator, while Nikola Radojčić (1738-1814) was a respected scholar and linguist who made significant contributions to the development of the Serbian language.

Other notable individuals with the NIKOLA surname include Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), the world-famous Serbian-American inventor and engineer known for his groundbreaking work in the field of electricity and magnetism, and Nikola Pašić (1845-1926), a Serbian politician and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Serbia and later Yugoslavia.

Throughout its history, the NIKOLA surname has maintained a strong presence in Serbia and the surrounding regions, reflecting the cultural and historical significance of this name in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nikola

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

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

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

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