Explore the Family Name Nicolau

The meaning of Nicolau

Portuguese, Galician, Catalan, French (Occitan), and Romanian: from the personal name Nicolau (see Nicholas). Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Gabriela, Manuel, Alberto, Alfredo, Emilia, Francisca, Jaime, Jose, Juan Angel, Mariela, Miguel, Sergio. Romanian Anca, Constantin, Nicolae, Serban. German Erwin, Theodor.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Nicolau in the United States?

The surname Nicolau has experienced a significant increase in popularity, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Nicolau was ranked 64,934 in popularity and by 2010, it had climbed to 53,204 - an impressive change of 18.06%. Similarly, the count of individuals bearing this surname rose from 286 in 2000 to 389 in 2010, reflecting a substantial 36.01% growth. The proportion of people with the surname per 100,000 also increased by 18.18%, shifting from 0.11 in 2000 to 0.13 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#64,934#53,20418.06%
Count28638936.01%
Proportion per 100k0.110.1318.18%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nicolau

In terms of ethnic identity, the Nicolau surname reflects a diverse array of backgrounds, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the majority of bearers identified as White (71.68%), followed by Hispanic (18.88%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (5.94%). By 2010, the trend continued with the majority identifying as White (69.67%), but there was a noteworthy increase among those identifying as Hispanic, moving up to 21.85%. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander slightly declined to 5.66%. No individuals identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year. Interestingly, those identifying with two or more races decreased from 3.15% to 2.57% over the decade.

20002010Change
White71.68%69.67%-2.8%
Hispanic18.88%21.85%15.73%
Asian/Pacific Islander5.94%5.66%-4.71%
Two or More Races3.15%2.57%-18.41%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%