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

Niman, 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 Niman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Niman in America

Niman is the 62045th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Niman surname appeared 323 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 Niman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Niman 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 Niman

The surname NIMAN is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "niman," meaning "to take" or "to seize," and "mann," meaning "man." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who was a tax collector, bailiff, or someone who had a profession that involved taking or seizing goods or property.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the 12th century, where a certain Robert Niman is mentioned as a landowner. There is also a reference to a William Niman in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records from the county of Yorkshire, including the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John Nyman is listed as residing in the village of Acklam. This spelling variation, Nyman, was quite common during this time and may have been influenced by regional dialects or scribal errors.

One notable individual bearing the NIMAN surname was Sir John Niman, a merchant and alderman who lived in London during the 15th century. He is mentioned in several historical documents, including the records of the City of London, and is known to have served as the Lord Mayor of London from 1466 to 1467.

Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Niman (1550-1619), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was involved in various legal disputes over land and property rights, and his name appears in several court records from the time.

In the 17th century, the name can be found in the parish records of Oxfordshire, where a family of NIMANs resided in the village of Woodstock. One notable member was Robert Niman (1620-1678), a scholar and clergyman who served as the Rector of Woodstock.

During the 18th century, the NIMAN surname spread to other parts of England, as well as to Scotland and Ireland. One individual of note was Captain William Niman (1730-1802), a naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in several battles during the American Revolutionary War.

As the centuries progressed, the NIMAN name continued to be found throughout the United Kingdom, with various spellings and variations emerging, such as Nieman, Neiman, and Nimmo. However, the core origin and meaning of the name remained rooted in its Old English etymology, reflecting the occupation or role of those who bore it centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Niman

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

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

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

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