NameCensus.

UK surname

Nigro

An Italian surname derived from the Latin word "niger," meaning "black" or "dark," likely referring to a person's complexion or hair color.

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Nigro surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford, Enfield and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nigro is 115 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1733.3%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

2011

115 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nigro had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Nigro surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nigro surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nigro 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
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1891 historical 3 #34,257
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 85 #28,988
1998 modern 81 #29,849
1999 modern 82 #29,933
2000 modern 81 #30,036
2001 modern 81 #29,828
2002 modern 86 #29,771
2003 modern 89 #29,380
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 106 #27,332
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 113 #28,502
2014 modern 110 #29,294
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Nigros 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 Bedford, Enfield and Huntingdonshire. 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 Bedford 013 Bedford
2 Enfield 006 Enfield
3 Enfield 007 Enfield
4 Bedford 014 Bedford
5 Huntingdonshire 011 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nigro

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nigro

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Nigro, 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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Nigro surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Nigro household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Nigro 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

Nigro 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

Nigro 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 Nigro is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Nigro

The surname Nigro has its origins in Italy, where it first emerged in the medieval period, likely during the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Latin word "niger," meaning "black," and was likely initially given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone with dark hair or complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Nigro can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Barese," a collection of historical documents from the region of Bari in southern Italy, dating back to the 11th century. In this collection, the name appears as "Nigro" and "Nigri," suggesting its early use as a surname in the area.

As the surname spread across Italy, it took on various spellings and regional variations, such as "Nigri," "Nigris," and "Nigrone." These variations reflect the historical linguistic diversity of the Italian peninsula, where dialects and regional languages influenced the spelling and pronunciation of surnames.

In the 15th century, the Nigro family was prominent in the city of Naples, where they held influential positions in the local government and were involved in the arts and literature. One notable member of this family was Girolamo Nigro (1456-1523), a renowned humanist scholar and poet who served as a secretary to several Italian rulers, including King Ferdinand I of Naples.

Another notable figure with the surname Nigro was Carlo Nigro (1645-1718), an Italian architect and engineer who worked on various important projects in Naples and its surrounding areas. His most famous work is the Palazzo Reale di Quisisana, a grand palace commissioned by the King of Naples in the late 17th century.

In the 19th century, Giovanni Nigro (1824-1892) was a prominent Italian politician and lawyer who served as a deputy in the Italian Parliament and played a significant role in the unification of Italy.

The surname Nigro has also been found in other parts of Europe, particularly in Spain and Portugal, where it likely arrived through Italian migration and trade connections. One example is Miguel Nigro (1553-1629), a Spanish painter and engraver who worked in Seville during the Golden Age of Spanish art.

Throughout its history, the surname Nigro has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, politicians, and professionals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nigro families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nigro surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Hampshire leads with 4 Nigros recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.39x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 4 33.39x
Lancashire 2 2.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Christchurch in Hampshire leads with 4 Nigros recorded in 1881 and an index of 1538.46x.

Place Total Index
Christchurch 4 1538.46x
Liverpool 2 47.51x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Nigro surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Alice 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Nigro surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 1
Vencento 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Nigro households.

FAQ

Nigro surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nigro surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Nigro surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nigro surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Nigro a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Nigro surname mean?

An Italian surname derived from the Latin word "niger," meaning "black" or "dark," likely referring to a person's complexion or hair color.

What does the Nigro map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Nigro 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.