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

Nissen, 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 Nissen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nissen in America

Nissen is the 6796th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nissen surname appeared 4,964 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Nissen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nissen 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 Nissen

The surname Nissen originated in Denmark and is believed to have derived from the Old Danish words "nis" or "nisse," meaning a small mythological creature or elf associated with good luck and prosperity. The name likely emerged as a descriptive nickname or a reference to someone's occupation or association with these mythical beings.

The earliest recorded instances of the Nissen surname date back to the late 15th century in Danish records and documents. Some variations in spelling include Nissen, Nissen, Nissen, and Nissen. These variations were common due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that time period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Nissen surname was Hans Nissen, a merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Odense, Denmark, in the late 16th century. His family's lineage can be traced back to the early 1500s in the same region.

In the 17th century, the Nissen surname appeared in several historical records, including the Danish Census of 1660, where numerous families with this name were documented in various parts of the country.

Notable individuals with the Nissen surname throughout history include:

1. Peter Nissen (1592-1667), a Danish theologian and professor at the University of Copenhagen.
2. Hartvig Nissen (1683-1754), a Norwegian-born Danish mathematician and astronomer.
3. Ferdinando Nissen (1789-1859), an Italian architect and archaeologist known for his excavations in Pompeii.
4. Waldemar Nissen (1846-1917), a German gymnast and educator who developed the Nissen apparatus, a piece of gymnastics equipment still widely used today.
5. Inger Nissen (1908-1991), a Norwegian actress and singer who performed in several films and stage productions.

The Nissen surname has also been associated with various place names throughout Denmark, such as Nissen's Farm (Nissens Gård) and Nissen's Hill (Nissens Høj), further indicating the long-standing presence of this name in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nissen

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

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

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

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