2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Nitowski
A Polish surname derived from a place name relating to meadows or grasslands.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Nitowski. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nitowski surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Nitowski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nitowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nitowski
The surname Nitowski originates from Poland, having its roots traced back to the 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Polish word "nit," meaning "thread" or "string," suggesting that the name may have been associated with occupations related to textile or weaving industries in the early days.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nitowski surname can be found in the historic documents of the town of Krakow, where a merchant named Jan Nitowski is mentioned in the year 1492. This suggests that the name had already gained prominence within the region during that period.
In the 16th century, the Nitowski family was known to have established a notable presence in the city of Gdansk, which was a significant trading hub at the time. Records from the city archives indicate that a prominent merchant named Tomasz Nitowski, who lived from 1534 to 1601, played a crucial role in the flourishing maritime trade between Poland and other European nations.
During the 17th century, the Nitowski surname gained further recognition when a Polish nobleman named Jakub Nitowski (1612-1678) distinguished himself as a military leader and participated in several campaigns against the Ottoman Empire. His bravery and achievements on the battlefield were well-documented in contemporary chronicles and historical accounts.
In the 18th century, the Nitowski name was associated with the arts and literature. A notable figure of this era was the poet and playwright, Anna Nitowski (1726-1792), whose works were widely acclaimed and influential in shaping the Polish literary landscape of her time.
Another prominent individual bearing the Nitowski surname was Stanislaw Nitowski (1789-1864), a renowned architect who left his mark on the architectural landscape of Warsaw and other Polish cities with his innovative designs and elegant structures.
Throughout the centuries, the Nitowski surname has been carried by numerous individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including science, politics, and academia. While the name may have evolved in spelling or pronunciation over time, its Polish origins and rich heritage remain an integral part of its identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nitowski
Among Census respondents with the surname Nitowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Nitowski bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Nitowski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nitowski
Nitowski appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
+5 bearers (+4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,251 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-9 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,463 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.1%) | Down 4,251 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 10,463 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Nitowski surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #133,048 | #143,511 | -7.9% |
| Count | 127 | 118 | -7.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nitowski bearers went from 127 to 118 (-7.1% change). The surname moved down 10,463 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #143,511.
FAQ
Nitowski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nitowski?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Nitowski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Nitowski?
Nitowski ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Nitowski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Nitowski.
Has Nitowski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nitowski went from 127 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Nitowski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nitowski, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Nitowski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nitowski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Hispanic (5.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Nitowski (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Nitowski mean?
A Polish surname derived from a place name relating to meadows or grasslands. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Nitowski (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Nitowski?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.