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

Nyquist, 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 Nyquist surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nyquist in America

Nyquist is the 16707th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nyquist surname appeared 1,713 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Nyquist.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nyquist 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 Nyquist

The surname Nyquist originates from Sweden, dating back to the 17th century. It is believed to have derived from the Swedish word "nyqvist," which means "new branch" or "new shoot," referring to a new settlement or village.

In Sweden, the practice of adopting permanent surnames became widespread among the general population during the 17th and 18th centuries. Nyquist was likely adopted by families or individuals who had settled in a newly established area or village, distinguishing them from those already residing in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nyquist surname can be found in the parish records of Västra Götaland County in western Sweden, dating back to the late 17th century. The name appears to have been particularly common in the rural areas surrounding the city of Gothenburg.

Notable individuals with the surname Nyquist include Harry Nyquist, an influential Swedish-American engineer and physicist known for his contributions to communication theory and the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem. He was born in 1889 and lived until 1976.

Another prominent figure was Gustaf Nyquist, a Swedish painter and illustrator who lived from 1890 to 1967. His works, which often depicted rural life and landscapes, are held in collections throughout Sweden.

In the field of literature, the Swedish novelist and playwright Eyvind Nyquist (1882-1959) gained recognition for his works exploring themes of identity and social issues in early 20th-century Sweden.

The name Nyquist can also be found in historical records from other parts of Scandinavia, such as Norway and Denmark, likely due to migration patterns and cultural exchanges between these regions.

One notable Norwegian bearing the surname was Trygve Nyquist, a politician and diplomat who served as the Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1946 to 1952, playing a crucial role in the organization's early years.

These are just a few examples of the individuals who have carried the surname Nyquist throughout history, reflecting its Swedish origins and the diverse fields in which bearers of this name have made their mark.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nyquist

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

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

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

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