Explore the Family Name Nicolai
The meaning of Nicolai
1. North German, Dutch, and French (mainly Lorraine): Latinized (humanistic) patronymic from the Latin genitive case of the personal name Nicolaus (see Nicholas). Compare Nicolay. 2. Italian: patronymic or plural form of the personal name Nicolao, a variant of Nicola. This surname is also found in Corsica and southern France. Some characteristic forenames: German Ralf, Dietmar, Erwin, Frieda, Heino, Leonhard, Lothar, Otto.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nicolai in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the Nicolai surname experienced a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Ranked at 13,628 in 2000, it fell to 14,734 by 2010, marking an 8.12% decline. The total count of people bearing this last name also dipped slightly from 2,042 in 2000 to 2,017 in 2010, a reduction of 1.22%. Similarly, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 10.53%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,628 | #14,734 | -8.12% |
| Count | 2,042 | 2,017 | -1.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.76 | 0.68 | -10.53% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nicolai
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates some shifts over the decade. While in 2000 there were no recorded individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander or Black descent with the Nicolai surname, by 2010 these groups represented 0.50% and 0.40% respectively. The percentage of those identifying as two or more races decreased by 27.96%, while the proportion of White individuals decreased only slightly from 89.37% to 87.31%. Interestingly, the Hispanic representation within the Nicolai surname increased significantly by 62.27%, and those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a small increase of 9.89%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.37% | 87.31% | -2.31% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 6.27% | 6.89% | 9.89% |
| Hispanic | 2.2% | 3.57% | 62.27% |
| Two or More Races | 1.86% | 1.34% | -27.96% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.5% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0.4% | 0% |