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

Nobile, 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 Nobile surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nobile in America

Nobile is the 19671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nobile surname appeared 1,370 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 Nobile.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nobile 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 Nobile

The surname Nobile has its roots in Italy, originating from the Italian word 'nobile', which means 'noble' or 'aristocratic'. This name was likely bestowed upon families or individuals who held a noble status or were part of the Italian nobility during the medieval and Renaissance periods.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Nobile can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries, particularly in regions such as Tuscany, Lombardy, and Veneto. In these areas, the name was often associated with influential noble families who wielded significant power and influence in their respective territories.

One notable historical reference to the name Nobile is found in the Florentine Codex, a 16th-century manuscript that documented the history and culture of the Aztec people. Among the authors listed is a certain Friar Giovanni Nobile, who was a Dominican friar and scholar who resided in Mexico during the early years of Spanish colonization.

In the 15th century, a prominent figure bearing the name Nobile was Niccolò Nobile, a renowned Venetian architect and sculptor. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Venice, including the Palazzo Ducale and the Basilica di San Marco.

During the Renaissance period, the Nobile family from Genoa played a significant role in the maritime trade and exploration. One member of this family, Antonio Nobile, was a successful merchant and navigator who embarked on voyages to the East Indies in the late 15th century.

Another notable figure with the surname Nobile was Umberto Nobile, an Italian aeronautical engineer and Arctic explorer who lived from 1885 to 1978. He is best known for his involvement in the ill-fated Italia airship expedition to the North Pole in 1928, which resulted in a dramatic rescue effort.

In the realm of literature, the Italian writer and poet Alessandro Nobile (1823-1889) gained recognition for his works, including the collection of poetry titled "Canti e Novelle".

The surname Nobile can also be found in various place names throughout Italy, such as Nobile di Montepulciano, a town in Tuscany, and Nobile di Treviso, a town in the Veneto region. These place names may have originated from noble families or estates bearing the Nobile name in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nobile

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

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

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

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