2000
#118,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Niblo
A medieval surname derived from the Old Norse "nibla", meaning to nibble or bite.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 141 Americans carry the last name Niblo. That puts it at #139,785 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,430,882 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Niblo 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Niblo with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
141
1 in 2,430,882
Census rank
#139,785
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
123
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 123 bearers of the surname Niblo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 139785th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Niblo, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Niblo
The surname Niblo is believed to have originated in the British Isles, likely in England or Scotland, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "nibbe," which referred to a projecting peak or promontory. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone who lived near or on a prominent hill or cliff.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this document, the name appears as "Nibbell," possibly referring to a person or a place.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name, such as "Nibley" and "Niblett," began appearing in various historical records, including parish registers and tax rolls. These spellings may have been influenced by the presence of place names like Nibley in Gloucestershire, England, and Niblett in Somerset.
One notable figure from history bearing the Niblo surname was Sir John Niblo, a Scottish merchant and politician who lived in the late 16th century. He served as a member of the Scottish Parliament and was known for his involvement in trade and commerce.
In the 17th century, the name Niblo gained some prominence in Ireland, where it may have been adopted by English or Scottish settlers. One such individual was William Niblo, born in 1714, who was a prominent landowner and businessman in County Antrim.
Another historical figure of note was James Niblo, an American theater manager and entrepreneur born in 1790. He established the famous Niblo's Garden in New York City, which was a popular entertainment venue in the mid-19th century.
Other individuals bearing the Niblo surname include Thomas Niblo (1795-1878), an English actor and playwright, and William Niblo (1810-1878), an American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City.
Throughout its history, the Niblo surname has remained relatively uncommon, but its origins and variations provide a glimpse into the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the British Isles and the diverse stories of those who carried this name across generations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Niblo
Among Census respondents with the surname Niblo, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Niblo 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 Niblo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.0% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino8.1% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.4% · 3
- Two or more races2.4% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Niblo
Niblo 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
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
-8 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,094 places
2020
#139,785
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
-4 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,737 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,954 | 135 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 14,094 places |
| 2020 | #139,785 | 123 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.1%) | Down 6,737 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 Niblo 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 | #133,048 | #139,785 | -5.1% |
| Count | 127 | 123 | -3.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 2.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Niblo bearers went from 127 to 123 (-3.1% change). The surname moved down 6,737 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #139,785.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Niblo
FAQ
Niblo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Niblo?
Name Census estimates that about 141 living Americans carry the surname Niblo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,430,882 residents.
How common is Niblo?
Niblo ranks #139,785 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 123 people with the surname Niblo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (141), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Niblo.
Has Niblo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Niblo went from 127 recorded bearers to 123. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #139,785.
What does the Census say about the background of Niblo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Niblo, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.4%). 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 Niblo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.0% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Niblo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.0%), Hispanic (8.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.4%). 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 Niblo (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 Niblo mean?
A medieval surname derived from the Old Norse "nibla", meaning to nibble or bite. 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 Niblo (0.04 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 many people share the surname Niblo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.