2000
#11,035
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,643
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.98
Rare Last name
Nuckols
An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of knucklebones used in games of chance.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,972 Americans carry the last name Nuckols. That puts it at #11,594 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.87 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 115,328 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nuckols 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
3.0K
1 in 115,328
Census rank
#11,594
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,592 bearers of the surname Nuckols in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.87 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11594th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nuckols, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nuckols
The surname Nuckols has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "nok" or "noce," which referred to a nook or a corner, and "halh," meaning a recess or a remote valley. Thus, the name Nuckols likely originated as a toponymic surname, indicating someone who lived in a secluded or remote area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Nokehalle," which suggests a connection to a place called Nook Hall or a similar location.
In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Nokehall," "Nokehal," and "Nukehale," indicating the variations in spelling and pronunciation during that time. These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling conventions.
One notable individual bearing this surname was Sir John Nuckols, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the 14th century. Records indicate that he participated in the Hundred Years' War against France and was granted lands in Warwickshire for his service.
Another historically significant figure was William Nuckols, born in 1587, who was among the early settlers in the Virginia Colony. He arrived in Jamestown in 1610 and played a crucial role in the establishment and development of the colony.
In the 17th century, the surname Nuckols appeared in various parish records and legal documents, such as the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1662-1666, which recorded households and their tax liabilities based on the number of hearths or fireplaces.
During the 18th century, the name Nuckols was found in several counties across England, including Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and Gloucestershire. One notable individual from this period was Robert Nuckols, born in 1723, who was a successful merchant and landowner in Warwickshire.
In the 19th century, the surname Nuckols spread beyond England, with individuals bearing this name migrating to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. One prominent figure was James Nuckols, born in 1811 in Virginia, who became a successful farmer and community leader in his local area.
Throughout its history, the surname Nuckols has undergone slight variations in spelling, such as Nuckolls, Nuckles, and Nuckles, but the core meaning and origin have remained consistent.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nuckols
Among Census respondents with the surname Nuckols, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Nuckols 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 Nuckols surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.3% · 2,212
- Black or African American6.5% · 169
- Two or more races4.5% · 117
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 63
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nuckols
Nuckols 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
#11,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,659
+16 bearers (+0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.90
Rank movement Down 748 places
2020
#11,594
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,592
-67 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Up 189 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,035 | 2,643 | 0.98 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,783 | 2,659 | 0.90 | +16 bearers (+0.6%) | Down 748 places |
| 2020 | #11,594 | 2,592 | 0.87 | -67 bearers (-2.5%) | Up 189 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 Nuckols 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 | #11,783 | #11,594 | 1.6% |
| Count | 2,659 | 2,592 | -2.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.90 | 0.87 | -3.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nuckols bearers went from 2,659 to 2,592 (-2.5% change). The surname moved up 189 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,783 to #11,594.
FAQ
Nuckols surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nuckols?
Name Census estimates that about 2,972 living Americans carry the surname Nuckols. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 115,328 residents.
How common is Nuckols?
Nuckols ranks #11,594 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.87 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,592 people with the surname Nuckols. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,972), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.87 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.87 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Nuckols.
Has Nuckols become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nuckols went from 2,659 recorded bearers to 2,592. That is a decrease of 67 (-2.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,783 to #11,594.
What does the Census say about the background of Nuckols?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nuckols, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Nuckols in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.3% (2,212 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nuckols appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.3%), Black (6.5%), Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Nuckols (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 Nuckols mean?
An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of knucklebones used in games of chance. 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 Nuckols (0.87 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 are called Nuckols?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Nuckols on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.