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

Nisley, 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 Nisley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nisley in America

Nisley is the 21895th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nisley surname appeared 1,186 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 Nisley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nisley 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 Nisley

The surname Nisley originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "nisl," which means "a nettle" or "a stinging plant." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a patch of nettles or worked with the plant in some capacity.

One of the earliest known references to the Nisley name can be found in the town records of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a medieval town in Bavaria, Germany. In 1587, a person named Hans Nisley was listed as a resident of the town, suggesting that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

As the Nisley family spread across Germany and eventually to other parts of Europe, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Nissley, Nissly, and Niesly. Some of these variations may have arisen due to regional dialects or clerical errors in record-keeping.

In the 17th century, the Nisley name appears in the records of the Palatinate region of Germany, which was a major source of emigration to the American colonies. This likely accounts for the presence of the Nisley surname among early German settlers in Pennsylvania and other parts of the United States.

One notable bearer of the Nisley name was Johann Nisley (1624-1697), a German theologian and author who wrote extensively on religious topics. His works were influential in shaping Lutheran thought during his lifetime.

Another prominent figure was Hans Nisley (1756-1832), a German-born artist who gained recognition for his landscape paintings and etchings. He spent much of his career in France and is considered an important figure in the development of French Romantic art.

In the 19th century, the Nisley name gained some prominence in the United States. Jacob Nisley (1812-1890) was a successful businessman and politician in Pennsylvania, serving as a member of the state legislature and as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1860.

Another notable American with the Nisley surname was Mary Nisley (1854-1928), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first women's colleges in the Midwest and was a vocal supporter of women's suffrage.

Finally, in the early 20th century, Robert Nisley (1892-1978) was a renowned architect known for his work on various public buildings and educational institutions across the United States. His designs were heavily influenced by the Beaux-Arts and Art Deco styles popular during his career.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nisley

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

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

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

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