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

Nygard, 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 Nygard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nygard in America

Nygard is the 20216th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nygard surname appeared 1,318 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 Nygard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nygard 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 Nygard

The surname Nygard originates from Norway and Sweden, and its history can be traced back to the Viking Age between the 8th and 11th centuries. The name is derived from the Old Norse word "nygård," which means "new farm" or "new homestead." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name were likely farmers or landowners who established new settlements or acquired new lands.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various historical records and manuscripts in Scandinavia. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of Norwegian diplomatic documents from the 12th century, where it is spelled as "Nygardær."

In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Erling Nygard was mentioned in the Icelandic Annals as a chieftain and landowner in western Norway. Another notable individual with this surname was Torbjørn Nygard, a 14th-century Norwegian farmer and landowner who was involved in local disputes over land rights, as recorded in the Regesta Norvegica, a collection of medieval Norwegian charters and legal documents.

The name Nygard also had variations in spelling throughout history, such as "Nygård," "Nygaarden," and "Nygaardh," which were likely influenced by regional dialects and linguistic changes over time.

In the 17th century, a Swedish soldier named Johan Nygard (1632-1701) gained recognition for his bravery during the Scanian War between Denmark and Sweden. He was awarded land and titles for his service, and his descendants continued to use the surname Nygard in subsequent generations.

Another notable figure with the surname Nygard was the Norwegian explorer and whaler Svend Nygard (1805-1878), who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions in the mid-19th century. His journals and accounts provided valuable insights into the geography and wildlife of the polar regions.

Throughout history, the surname Nygard has been carried by various individuals from different walks of life, including farmers, landowners, soldiers, explorers, and more, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences associated with this name of Scandinavian origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nygard

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

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

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

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