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

Nivison, 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 Nivison surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nivison in America

Nivison is the 56588th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nivison surname appeared 361 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 Nivison.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nivison 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 Nivison

The surname Nivison is believed to have originated in Scotland during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old Norman French word "neve" or "neveu," meaning nephew or grandchild. The name likely evolved from a descriptive nickname given to someone who was the nephew or grandchild of a prominent individual.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls submitted to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. The entry "William Niveson de Liston" suggests that the name was present in the region of Linlithgow at that time.

In the 15th century, the spelling "Nivison" began to appear more frequently in Scottish records, particularly in the counties of Angus and Fife. The name was also associated with the village of Newbigging, which was once spelled as "Neubiggin" or "Nevison."

A notable figure in Scottish history bearing this surname was Robert Nivison, a merchant and burgess of Edinburgh in the late 16th century. He played a significant role in the city's trade and governance during his lifetime (c. 1550-1620).

Another individual of note was John Nivison, a Scottish Covenanter who was persecuted for his religious beliefs during the late 17th century. He was imprisoned and later exiled to the American colonies in 1685, settling in what is now New Jersey.

In the 18th century, the surname Nivison was also found in the records of the Clan Macnab, a Highland Scottish clan with roots in Perthshire. A prominent member of this clan was John Nivison Macnab (1718-1782), who served as a captain in the British Army during the Seven Years' War.

The 19th century saw several individuals with the surname Nivison making significant contributions in various fields. James Nivison (1784-1858) was a Scottish minister and author, known for his work on the history of the Church of Scotland.

Another notable figure was Sir John Nivison Greig (1832-1904), a Scottish-born businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Manchester, England, and was knighted for his contributions to public service.

Throughout its history, the surname Nivison has maintained a strong presence in Scotland, particularly in the regions of Angus, Fife, and Perthshire. While not a widespread name, it has been borne by individuals who have left their mark in various aspects of Scottish culture and society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nivison

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

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

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

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