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

Nikolaus, 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 Nikolaus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nikolaus in America

Nikolaus is the 42163rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nikolaus surname appeared 515 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 Nikolaus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nikolaus 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 Nikolaus

The surname NIKOLAUS originates from Germany, with its earliest roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, which is a compound of the words "niko" meaning "victory" and "laos" meaning "people" - thus, the name translates to "victory of the people."

In its earliest form, the name was often spelled as Nicolaus or Nicholaus in various regions of Germany. These variations were likely influenced by the Latin spelling of the name, which was commonly used in ecclesiastical records during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname NIKOLAUS can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus" of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, dated around 1180. This document mentions a certain "Nicolaus de Winhusen," suggesting the name's presence in the region during that period.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various manorial rolls and tax records across different parts of Germany. For instance, a "Nicolaus de Bremervorde" is mentioned in a charter from 1261, indicating the presence of the name in the region of Bremen.

As the name spread across different regions, it also took on various localized spellings and variations. For example, in the southern regions of Germany, the surname was sometimes spelled as "Nicklaus" or "Niklaus."

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname NIKOLAUS. One such figure was Johann Nikolaus Tischer (1614-1689), a German engraver and cartographer who produced detailed maps of various regions in Europe.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Johann Nikolaus Tetens (1736-1807), a German philosopher and mathematician. He made significant contributions to the field of epistemology and was considered a pioneer of empirical psychology.

In the realm of literature, Johann Nikolaus Müller (1771-1849) was a renowned German playwright and poet. His works, such as "Die Schuld" and "Der Gärtner von Gent," gained widespread popularity during the Romantic era.

The name NIKOLAUS also has associations with various place names and locations across Germany. One example is the town of Nikolausdorf, which translates to "Nicholas' village," suggesting a possible connection between the surname and the settlement's name.

It is worth noting that throughout the centuries, the surname NIKOLAUS has been borne by numerous individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and tradesmen, further solidifying its presence in the cultural fabric of Germany and its neighboring regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nikolaus

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

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

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

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