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

Niola, 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 Niola surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Niola in America

Niola is the 71265th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Niola surname appeared 274 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 Niola.

We can also compare 2010 data for Niola 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 Niola

The surname NIOLA is of Italian origin, originating from the region of Campania in southern Italy. The name dates back to the medieval period, around the 12th century.

NIOLA is believed to be derived from the Latin word "nigellus," which means "blackish" or "dark-colored." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone with a darker complexion or hair color.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the NIOLA surname can be found in historical documents from the city of Naples and its surrounding areas. For example, a certain Giovanni Niola is mentioned in a land deed from the year 1289.

In the 14th century, a nobleman named Tommaso Niola was a prominent figure in the court of the Angevin dynasty, which ruled over the Kingdom of Naples at the time. He is mentioned in several chronicles and records from that era.

During the Renaissance period, the NIOLA surname gained further prominence. One notable figure was the Italian painter and architect Girolamo Niola, who lived from 1525 to 1592. He is best known for his frescoes and architectural works in Naples and its environs.

Another famous bearer of the NIOLA name was the Italian philosopher and theologian Giacinto Niola, who lived from 1605 to 1678. He was a member of the Jesuit order and wrote several influential works on theology and moral philosophy.

In the 18th century, the composer and music theorist Vincenzo Niola (1717-1788) was a respected figure in the Neapolitan School of music. He composed operas and instrumental works and also wrote treatises on music theory.

Moving into the modern era, the Italian politician and lawyer Vincenzo Niola (1834-1904) played a significant role in the unification of Italy and served as a member of the Italian parliament.

The name NIOLA has remained primarily concentrated in the Campania region of Italy, although it has also spread to other parts of the country and beyond due to migration and diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Niola

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

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

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

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