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

Nivens, 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 Nivens surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nivens in America

Nivens is the 15625th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nivens surname appeared 1,870 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Nivens.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nivens 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 Nivens

The surname NIVENS is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "niwelund," which means "new land" or "newly cultivated land." This name was likely given to someone who lived on or owned land that had been recently cleared for agriculture or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded appearances of the name NIVENS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from 1199, where a person named William Nivene is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insights into the names and occupations of individuals living during that time.

The name NIVENS has also been traced to various locations in England, such as the village of Neville in Wiltshire, and the town of Neville's Cross in County Durham. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time, including Nevins, Nevens, and Nevinson.

In the 14th century, the NIVENS name appeared in the Heraldic Visitations of Yorkshire, which were official tours conducted by officers of the College of Arms to record and validate the pedigrees and coats of arms of noble families. This suggests that some members of the NIVENS family held a prominent social status during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname NIVENS include:

1. Thomas Nevins (c. 1570-1640), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury in the early 17th century.
2. John Nevins (1639-1684), an English clergyman and academic who was the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.
3. William Nevins (1797-1835), an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Congressman from New York.
4. Allan Nevins (1890-1971), an American historian and journalist who wrote extensively on the Civil War and American political biography.
5. Gavin Nevins (born 1981), an American actor known for his roles in television series like "The Office" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

While the NIVENS surname has evolved over time and spread across different regions, its origins can be traced back to the English countryside, where it was likely associated with the cultivation of new lands and the establishment of settlements during the medieval period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nivens

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

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

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

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