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

Nitcher, 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 Nitcher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nitcher in America

Nitcher is the 70645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nitcher surname appeared 277 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 Nitcher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nitcher 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 Nitcher

The surname Nitcher has its origins in Germany and can be traced back to the 15th century. The name is believed to have derived from the German word "nicht," which means "not" or "no," possibly suggesting an ancestor with a contrary or argumentative nature. It was initially found in the region of Bavaria, where some of the earliest records of the name appeared.

One of the earliest known references to the Nitcher surname can be found in a manuscript from the town of Augsburg, dated 1472, which mentions a certain Hans Nitcher, a local merchant. Another early record is from the city of Nuremberg, where a Johannes Nitcher is listed as a guild member in 1498.

The Nitcher name also appears in several historical documents from the 16th century, including a registry of landowners in the village of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which lists a Michael Nitcher as a prominent farmer in 1532. Around the same time, a Rudolf Nitcher is mentioned in a court record from the city of Munich, dated 1547.

As the Nitcher family spread across Germany, variations in the spelling of the name emerged, such as Nitscher, Nitzscher, and Nütscher. One notable individual with this surname was Johann Baptist Nitscher (1782-1837), a German writer and philosopher who published several influential works on ethics and metaphysics.

Another prominent figure was Karl Wilhelm Nitzsch (1818-1880), a German zoologist and anatomist who made significant contributions to the study of bird anatomy and taxonomy. His work on avian skeletal structures and the classification of bird species was highly influential in the field of ornithology.

In the realm of arts and culture, the name Nitcher is associated with the German painter and printmaker Max Nitsch (1918-2009), known for his controversial "Aktionskunst" (action art) performances and his intense, visceral paintings that often incorporated animal blood and carcasses.

Moving into the 20th century, a notable figure was Hans Nitsch (1926-2020), an Austrian painter and composer who founded the Viennese Actionism movement. His controversial performances and installations, which often involved the use of animal carcasses and bodily fluids, were highly influential in the development of avant-garde art in Europe.

While the surname Nitcher may have originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by generations of emigrants seeking new opportunities. However, the early records and historical figures mentioned above provide valuable insights into the origins and evolution of this distinctive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nitcher

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

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

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

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