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

Niño, 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 Niño surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Niño in America

Niño is the 3224th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Niño surname appeared 11,202 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Niño.

We can also compare 2010 data for Niño 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 Niño

The surname Nino is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Calabria and Sicily. It likely derived from the Latin word "ninus," which means "small" or "little." The name can be traced back to the 12th century, where it was commonly used as a nickname or a descriptive term for individuals of smaller stature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nino surname can be found in the Sicilian town of Messina, where a document from 1235 mentions a certain "Robertus Ninus." This suggests that the name was already in use during the medieval period, particularly among the lower classes and peasantry.

In the 14th century, the Nino surname gained prominence in the city of Naples, where a nobleman named Giovanni Nino (c. 1285 - c. 1368) rose to prominence as a jurist and a diplomat in the service of the Angevin kings of Naples. His work, known as the "Nino Comentaria," is considered one of the earliest and most important legal treatises of the time.

Another notable figure bearing the Nino surname was the 15th-century Florentine artist Giannozzo Nino (c. 1420 - 1490), known for his exquisite fresco paintings in various churches and monasteries across Italy. His works can be found in the Chiesa di Santa Maria Novella in Florence and the Basilica di Santa Croce in the same city.

In the 16th century, the Nino family established a presence in the Spanish territories of the New World, with a certain Pedro Nino (c. 1520 - c. 1590) serving as a conquistador and explorer in the region now known as Mexico. He is credited with establishing several settlements and contributing to the expansion of Spanish influence in the Americas.

Another notable figure was the 18th-century Neapolitan composer and musician Giovanni Nino (1713 - 1788), who gained recognition for his operas and sacred works, which were widely performed across Europe during his lifetime.

Over the centuries, the Nino surname has maintained a strong presence in various regions of Italy, particularly in the south. It has also spread to other parts of the world through migration, with Nino families establishing roots in countries like the United States, Argentina, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Niño

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

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

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

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