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

Nikolai, 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 Nikolai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nikolai in America

Nikolai is the 32710th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nikolai surname appeared 702 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 Nikolai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nikolai 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 Nikolai

The surname Nikolai has its origins in Russia, dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, which means "victor of the people." The name was commonly used in the Eastern Orthodox Church and became popular in Russia after the conversion to Christianity in 988.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Nikolai can be found in the Veliky Novgorod Chronicles from the 12th century. These chronicles mention a prominent citizen named Nikolai Mikhailovich, who played a significant role in the political affairs of the city-state of Novgorod.

The surname Nikolai was also associated with nobility in Imperial Russia. In the 16th century, the Nikolai family was granted lands and titles by Ivan the Terrible. One notable member of this family was Nikolai Dmitrievich Nikolai (1530-1585), who served as a military commander during the Livonian War.

In the 18th century, the surname Nikolai was further elevated by the prominent Russian statesman and diplomat, Nikolai Ivanovich Panin (1718-1783). Panin served as a tutor to the future Emperor Paul I and played a significant role in Russian foreign policy during the reign of Catherine the Great.

Another notable figure with the surname Nikolai was Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol (1809-1852), the renowned Russian novelist and playwright. Gogol is best known for his works such as "Dead Souls" and "The Overcoat," which satirized the social and bureaucratic life of Imperial Russia.

During the 20th century, the surname Nikolai was carried by several influential figures in Russian history. One such figure was Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin (1888-1938), a prominent Bolshevik revolutionary and theorist who played a significant role in the early years of the Soviet Union.

The surname Nikolai has a rich and diverse history, spanning centuries and encompassing individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, statesmen, writers, and revolutionaries. Its origins can be traced back to the early days of Russian Christianity and the adoption of Greek names, reflecting the cultural and religious influences that have shaped the country's history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nikolai

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

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

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

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