NameCensus.

UK surname

Niemiec

A Polish surname derived from the word for a German person or someone of German descent or origin.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, St Albans and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Niemiec is 214 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

214

2016, ranked #18,740

Peak year

2016

214 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 214 in 2016, ranked #18,740.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Niemiec surname distribution map

The map shows where the Niemiec surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Niemiec surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Niemiec over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1997 modern 44 #33,275
1998 modern 44 #33,462
1999 modern 45 #33,511
2000 modern 43 #33,709
2001 modern 43 #33,576
2002 modern 48 #33,459
2003 modern 48 #33,533
2004 modern 48 #33,742
2005 modern 52 #33,619
2006 modern 83 #30,808
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 116 #26,510
2009 modern 135 #24,594
2010 modern 137 #24,907
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 168 #21,516
2013 modern 190 #20,201
2014 modern 203 #19,504
2015 modern 207 #19,155
2016 modern 214 #18,740

Geography

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Where Niemiecs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, St Albans, Barnet, Wigan and Bradford. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 004 Harrogate
2 St Albans 018 St Albans
3 Barnet 038 Barnet
4 Wigan 028 Wigan
5 Bradford 056 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Niemiec

These lists show first names that appear often with the Niemiec surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Niemiec

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Niemiec, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Niemiec surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Niemiec household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Niemiec is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Niemiec is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Niemiec falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Niemiec is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Niemiec, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Niemiec

The surname NIEMIEC is of Polish origin, derived from the word "niemiec" which means "a person who cannot speak" or "a foreigner". It likely originated in the 12th or 13th century when it was used to refer to people who did not speak the local Polish language or dialect.

The name can be traced back to various regions within modern-day Poland, including the areas around Krakow, Wroclaw, and Poznan. It is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive term or nickname before eventually becoming an inherited surname.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname NIEMIEC can be found in medieval Polish documents and records from the 14th and 15th centuries. For example, a person named Jan Niemiec is mentioned in a 1397 record from the town of Lublin.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the Polish Armorial Compendium, a collection of coats of arms and heraldic descriptions, indicating that some families bearing the NIEMIEC surname had achieved a level of nobility or distinction at that time.

One notable historical figure with the surname NIEMIEC was Jan Niemiec (1506-1572), a Polish lawyer and author who served as a judge in the city of Krakow. Another was Marcin Niemiec (1550-1612), a Polish theologian and writer who published works on religious topics.

In the 18th century, a man named Maciej Niemiec (1734-1804) was a prominent Polish painter and artist known for his religious works and portraits. Around the same time, Michał Niemiec (1751-1818) was a Polish military officer who fought in the Kościuszko Uprising against the Russian Empire.

Moving into the 19th century, Józef Niemiec (1819-1897) was a Polish writer and journalist who contributed to various publications and advocated for Polish independence from foreign rule.

While the NIEMIEC surname has its roots in Poland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the historical regions of modern-day Poland, where it emerged as a descriptive term for those who could not speak the local language or dialect.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Niemiec surname: questions and answers

How common is the Niemiec surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 214 in 2016. That gives Niemiec a modern rank of #18,740.

What does the Niemiec surname mean?

A Polish surname derived from the word for a German person or someone of German descent or origin.

What does the Niemiec map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Niemiec bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.