2000
#14,054
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,967
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.73
Rare Last name
Vicknair
A French occupational surname referring to a boatman or ferryman, derived from the Old French "vicnaire".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,277 Americans carry the last name Vicknair. That puts it at #14,454 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 150,529 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vicknair 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
2.3K
1 in 150,529
Census rank
#14,454
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,986 bearers of the surname Vicknair in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14454th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vicknair, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vicknair
The surname VICKNAIR originated in France during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old French words 'vic' meaning village or town, and 'nair' meaning dark or swarthy complexion. The name likely referred to someone who hailed from a particular village or town and had a darker complexion compared to the local population.
The earliest recorded instances of the VICKNAIR surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northwestern France. These areas were known for their rich cultural heritage and diverse population, which could explain the origins of a surname denoting a person's place of origin and physical appearance.
One of the earliest documented references to the VICKNAIR name is found in the "Registre des Noms" (Register of Names), a collection of records compiled in the 14th century by the French monarchy. This record suggests that the VICKNAIR family held a notable position in society during this time period.
In the 16th century, the VICKNAIR surname appeared in several historical documents, including tax records and property deeds. This indicates that the family had established roots and owned land in various parts of France. One notable individual from this era was Jacques VICKNAIR (1527-1598), a merchant and landowner in the city of Rennes.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the VICKNAIR name continued to spread throughout France and beyond. Jean-Baptiste VICKNAIR (1673-1742) was a renowned artist and sculptor who created works for the French nobility. His son, Pierre VICKNAIR (1701-1778), followed in his footsteps and became a celebrated painter.
As the VICKNAIR family gained prominence, some members migrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One such individual was Louis VICKNAIR (1819-1892), who settled in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the mid-19th century and established a successful trading business.
Throughout its history, the VICKNAIR surname has been associated with various place names and alternative spellings. Some variations include Vickner, Vicknaire, and Vickenaire, reflecting the regional dialects and cultural influences of different areas where the name was present.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vicknair
Among Census respondents with the surname Vicknair, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Vicknair 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 Vicknair surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.6% · 1,799
- Two or more races3.7% · 73
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 61
- Black or African American2.3% · 45
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vicknair
Vicknair 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
#14,332
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,088
+121 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Down 278 places
2020
#14,454
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,986
-102 bearers (-4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Down 122 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,054 | 1,967 | 0.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,332 | 2,088 | 0.71 | +121 bearers (+6.2%) | Down 278 places |
| 2020 | #14,454 | 1,986 | 0.66 | -102 bearers (-4.9%) | Down 122 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 Vicknair 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 | #14,332 | #14,454 | -0.9% |
| Count | 2,088 | 1,986 | -4.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.71 | 0.66 | -6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vicknair bearers went from 2,088 to 1,986 (-4.9% change). The surname moved down 122 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,332 to #14,454.
FAQ
Vicknair surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vicknair?
Name Census estimates that about 2,277 living Americans carry the surname Vicknair. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 150,529 residents.
How common is Vicknair?
Vicknair ranks #14,454 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.66 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 1,986 people with the surname Vicknair. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,277), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.66 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.66 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 Vicknair.
Has Vicknair become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vicknair went from 2,088 recorded bearers to 1,986. That is a decrease of 102 (-4.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,332 to #14,454.
What does the Census say about the background of Vicknair?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vicknair, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Vicknair in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.6% (1,799 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vicknair appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.6%), Two or More Races (3.7%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Vicknair (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 Vicknair mean?
A French occupational surname referring to a boatman or ferryman, derived from the Old French "vicnaire". 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 Vicknair (0.66 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 common is the surname Vicknair?
Want to know how many people have the last name Vicknair? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.