Explore the Family Name Nicolay
The meaning of Nicolay
German and French (mainly Lorraine): Latinized (humanistic) patronymic, a variant of Nicolai. Some characteristic forenames: German Dieter, Franz, Helmuth, Ilse, Ingo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nicolay in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Nicolay experienced a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Nicolay ranked 27,009th in terms of name frequency, but by 2010 it had dropped to rank 27,818, marking a 3 percent decrease. However, during the same period, the count of individuals bearing the Nicolay surname rose modestly from 844 to 863, an increase of approximately 2.25 percent. Despite this growth in absolute numbers, the proportion of Nicolays per 100,000 people decreased by 6.45 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27,009 | #27,818 | -3% |
| Count | 844 | 863 | 2.25% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.31 | 0.29 | -6.45% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nicolay
The ethnic identity associated with the Nicolay surname also saw some shifts between 2000 and 2010, as revealed by the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of individuals with this surname identify as White, although the percentage decreased slightly from 92.89 percent in 2000 to 91.77 percent in 2010. Meanwhile, the percentage of Nicolays identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also fell, dropping by 7.11 percent. In contrast, there were significant increases among those reporting two or more races and those identifying as Hispanic, which rose by 66.95 percent and 4.36 percent, respectively. The percentages for Black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native ethnicities remained at zero in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.89% | 91.77% | -1.21% |
| Hispanic | 3.44% | 3.59% | 4.36% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.25% | 2.09% | -7.11% |
| Two or More Races | 1.18% | 1.97% | 66.95% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |