2000
#36,917
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 570
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Rare Last name
Nicole
Derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning "victorious people".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,076 Americans carry the last name Nicole. That puts it at #27,242 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 318,545 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nicole 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 Nicole with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.1K
1 in 318,545
Census rank
#27,242
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
938
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 938 bearers of the surname Nicole in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 27242nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nicole, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.6%) and Black (16.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nicole
The surname Nicole originated from France in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, which means "victorious people." The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 11th century in Normandy, where it was spelled Nicol or Nichole.
In the 12th century, the name appeared in the Domesday Book, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest. The name was listed as Nicol, referring to landowners who had migrated from Normandy.
During the 13th century, the name gained popularity in various regions of France, including Brittany and Burgundy. It was often associated with individuals from noble or aristocratic backgrounds, such as Nicole de Blois (1263-1322), a French noblewoman and countess of Nevers.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in historical records in the Low Countries, particularly in the region of Flanders. One notable figure from this period was Nicole Oresme (c. 1320-1382), a French philosopher, mathematician, and Bishop of Lisieux.
In the 15th century, the name spread to other parts of Europe, including Italy and Germany. In Italy, it was sometimes rendered as Niccolò, as in the case of Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), the famous Italian Renaissance political philosopher, historian, and writer.
During the 16th century, the name was found in various parts of France, including the regions of Normandy, Burgundy, and Picardy. One notable individual from this period was Nicole Gilles (c. 1520-1584), a French chronicler and historian known for his work on the history of France.
In the 17th century, the name continued to be used in various parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and Germany. One notable figure from this period was Nicole Steno (1638-1686), a Danish Catholic bishop and pioneer in the field of stratigraphy and paleontology.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nicole
Among Census respondents with the surname Nicole, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.6%) and Black (16.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Nicole 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 Nicole surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White53.7% · 504
- Hispanic or Latino21.6% · 203
- Black or African American16.4% · 154
- Two or more races4.6% · 43
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.5% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nicole
Nicole 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
#45,959
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 464
-106 bearers (-18.6%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Down 9,042 places
2020
#27,242
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 938
+474 bearers (+102.2%)
Per 100,000 0.31
Rank movement Up 18,717 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #36,917 | 570 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #45,959 | 464 | 0.16 | -106 bearers (-18.6%) | Down 9,042 places |
| 2020 | #27,242 | 938 | 0.31 | +474 bearers (+102.2%) | Up 18,717 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 Nicole 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 | #45,959 | #27,242 | 40.7% |
| Count | 464 | 938 | 102.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.16 | 0.31 | 96.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nicole bearers went from 464 to 938 (+102.2% change). The surname moved up 18,717 positions in the national ranking, going from #45,959 to #27,242.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Nicole
FAQ
Nicole surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nicole?
Name Census estimates that about 1,076 living Americans carry the surname Nicole. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 318,545 residents.
How common is Nicole?
Nicole ranks #27,242 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.31 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 938 people with the surname Nicole. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,076), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.31 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 Nicole.
Has Nicole become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nicole went from 464 recorded bearers to 938. That is an increase of 474 (+102.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #45,959 to #27,242.
What does the Census say about the background of Nicole?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nicole, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.6%) and Black (16.4%). 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 Nicole in the 2020 Census, accounting for 53.7% (504 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nicole appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (53.7%), Hispanic (21.6%), Black (16.4%). 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 Nicole (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 Nicole mean?
Derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning "victorious people". 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 Nicole (0.31 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 Nicole?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.