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

Nistal, 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 Nistal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nistal in America

Nistal is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nistal surname appeared 140 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 Nistal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nistal 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 Nistal

The surname Nistal originates from Spain, where it first appeared in the late medieval period around the 14th or 15th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "nistal," which refers to a small grove or thicket of trees, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived in or near such a wooded area.

Historical records indicate that the name Nistal was particularly prevalent in the northern regions of Spain, including Galicia, Asturias, and Cantabria. It is possible that the name evolved from an earlier place name or topographical feature, as was common with many Spanish surnames.

One of the earliest documented references to the Nistal surname can be found in the archives of the Monastery of San Salvador de Celanova in Galicia, where a document from 1427 mentions a certain Pedro Nistal as a witness to a land transaction. This record provides evidence of the name's existence during the late medieval period.

In the 16th century, Juan Nistal, a renowned scholar and theologian from Burgos, gained recognition for his contributions to the field of canon law. He was born in 1510 and passed away in 1580, leaving behind a legacy of scholarly works that influenced the development of ecclesiastical jurisprudence in Spain.

During the 17th century, the Nistal family gained prominence in the region of Asturias, with several members holding influential positions in local governance and commerce. One notable figure was Alonso Nistal, a merchant and landowner who lived from 1625 to 1693 and played a significant role in the economic development of the city of Oviedo.

The 18th century saw the birth of Juana Nistal (1712-1785), a respected artist and painter from Santander, whose works depicting religious scenes and portraits have been preserved in various churches and museums across northern Spain.

In the 19th century, the Nistal surname gained further recognition with the accomplishments of Manuel Nistal (1821-1892), a prominent military officer who participated in several conflicts, including the Carlist Wars, and rose to the rank of general in the Spanish Army.

While the Nistal surname has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, the earliest and most significant historical references to this surname can be traced back to its Spanish origins, reflecting the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of the Iberian Peninsula.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nistal

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!