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

Nival, 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 Nival surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nival in America

Nival is the 143149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nival surname appeared 116 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 Nival.

The history of the last name Nival

The surname Nival originates from the Latin word "nivalis," which means "snowy" or "belonging to snow." This name is believed to have its roots in ancient Rome, where it may have been used as a descriptive term for people living in snowy or mountainous regions.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Nival can be traced back to the 12th century in the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. These areas are known for their Alpine landscapes and harsh winters, which likely contributed to the adoption of the name.

In the 14th century, the name Nival appears in historical records from the Swiss cantons of Valais and Graubünden. These regions are renowned for their snow-capped peaks and glaciers, further solidifying the connection between the name and its wintry connotations.

One notable figure bearing the surname Nival was Giovanni Nival, a 16th-century Italian architect and engineer from Piedmont. He was commissioned to design several fortifications and military structures in the region, showcasing the prominence of his family name during the Renaissance period.

Another prominent individual with the surname Nival was Marie-Thérèse Nival (1728-1805), a French botanist and naturalist. She made significant contributions to the study of alpine flora and is remembered for her extensive collections of plant specimens from the mountains of southern France.

In the 18th century, the Nival family established a presence in the Swiss village of Zermatt, located at the foot of the iconic Matterhorn mountain. The Nivals were among the first families to settle in this remote Alpine region, and their name became closely associated with the harsh yet beautiful environment.

The surname Nival also found its way to Spain, where it was documented in the 19th century. One notable bearer of the name was José Nival (1823-1891), a Spanish military officer and explorer who led expeditions to the Pyrenees and the Canary Islands.

Throughout its history, the surname Nival has maintained a strong connection to mountain landscapes and snowy environments, reflecting the origins of this evocative name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nival

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

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 Nival 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.

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

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

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