Explore the Family Name Nurmi
The meaning of Nurmi
Finnish: ornamental name from nurmi ‘lawn’ or ‘pasture’, adopted at the end of the 19th century chiefly in southwestern Finland, Satakunta, and Uusimaa by Finns without surnames, and especially during the name-changing campaigns of the early 20th century to replace Swedish or other foreign surnames (compare Laine 4). Also a habitational name from farms so named in Satakunta, Ostrobothnia, and northern Finland, established as a hereditary surname since the 19th century. Some characteristic forenames: Finnish Paavo, Arvo, Eino, Oiva, Reino, Tauno, Waino, Ahti, Annikki, Arvi, Eero, Jorma. Scandinavian Fredrik, Johan, Nels.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nurmi in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Nurmi has seen some fluctuations in popularity over the years. In 2000, it was ranked 36,672nd most popular in the United States, and by 2010, it had slightly fallen to 37,848th. Despite this dip in rank, the actual number of individuals bearing the surname increased from 575 to 587 during this same time period, marking a growth of 2.09%. However, the proportion of Nurmis per 100,000 people saw a minor decrease of 4.76%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #36,672 | #37,848 | -3.21% |
| Count | 575 | 587 | 2.09% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.21 | 0.2 | -4.76% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nurmi
In terms of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Nurmi identify as White, accounting for 97.22% in 2000 and 95.91% in 2010. There have been some changes in other ethnic identifiers over the decade. The count of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic rose from none in 2000 to 1.02% and 1.87% respectively in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying with two or more races dropped slightly from 1.22% to 1.02%. There were no Nurmis who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.22% | 95.91% | -1.35% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.87% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.02% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 1.22% | 1.02% | -16.39% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |