2000
#5,196
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,176
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.29
Rare Last name
Nolte
A surname of German origin meaning "of the North" or "one who comes from the North."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,872 Americans carry the last name Nolte. That puts it at #5,599 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 49,877 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nolte 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
6.9K
1 in 49,877
Census rank
#5,599
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,993 bearers of the surname Nolte in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5599th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nolte, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nolte
The surname Nolte originates from Germany, with its earliest roots traced back to the 13th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old German word "nolten," which means "stubborn" or "headstrong."
In its early years, the name was predominantly found in the regions of Lower Saxony and Westphalia in northern Germany. Some variations in spelling were also seen, such as Nolten, Nolten, and Nolde.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in several entries, primarily related to land ownership and transactions.
During the 16th century, the Nolte surname gained prominence in various parts of Germany. Notable individuals from this period include Hans Nolte (1525-1592), a renowned German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.
As the name spread across Europe, it found its way into historical records in neighboring countries as well. In the Netherlands, the Nolte family can be traced back to the 17th century, with records showing their presence in the province of Overijssel.
The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable figures with the Nolte surname. Johann Nolte (1718-1781), a German composer and organist, made significant contributions to the music scene of his time. Additionally, Friedrich Nolte (1753-1825), a German writer and poet, gained recognition for his literary works.
In the 19th century, the Nolte family continued to leave their mark across various fields. Carl Nolte (1806-1884), a German-American artist and lithographer, is renowned for his depictions of life in the American West. Meanwhile, Vincent Nolte (1858-1925), a Belgian architect, designed several iconic buildings in Brussels, including the Palais des Beaux-Arts.
As the name spread globally, it found roots in various parts of the world, including the United States and Australia. Prominent individuals from more recent times include Nick Nolte (born 1941), an acclaimed American actor known for his roles in films like "The Prince of Tides" and "Affliction."
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nolte
Among Census respondents with the surname Nolte, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Nolte 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 Nolte surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0% · 5,516
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 209
- Two or more races2.9% · 173
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 45
- Black or African American0.6% · 33
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nolte
Nolte 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
#5,624
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,180
+4 bearers (+0.1%)
Per 100,000 2.10
Rank movement Down 428 places
2020
#5,599
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,993
-187 bearers (-3.0%)
Per 100,000 2.01
Rank movement Up 25 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,196 | 6,176 | 2.29 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,624 | 6,180 | 2.10 | +4 bearers (+0.1%) | Down 428 places |
| 2020 | #5,599 | 5,993 | 2.01 | -187 bearers (-3.0%) | Up 25 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 Nolte 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 | #5,624 | #5,599 | 0.4% |
| Count | 6,180 | 5,993 | -3.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.10 | 2.01 | -4.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nolte bearers went from 6,180 to 5,993 (-3.0% change). The surname moved up 25 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,624 to #5,599.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Nolte
FAQ
Nolte surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nolte?
Name Census estimates that about 6,872 living Americans carry the surname Nolte. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 49,877 residents.
How common is Nolte?
Nolte ranks #5,599 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.01 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,993 people with the surname Nolte. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,872), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.01 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.01 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Nolte.
Has Nolte become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nolte went from 6,180 recorded bearers to 5,993. That is a decrease of 187 (-3.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,624 to #5,599.
What does the Census say about the background of Nolte?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nolte, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Nolte in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (5,516 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nolte appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.0%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Nolte (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 Nolte mean?
A surname of German origin meaning "of the North" or "one who comes from the North." 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 Nolte (2.01 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 people have the surname Nolte?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.