Niskanen

Niskanen is a surname of Finnish origin. The name employs the common Finnish suffix -nen, which is often found in surnames and can indicate origin or lineage. It is most prevalent in Finland and among Finnish-descended communities abroad.

The most widely known bearer of the name in scholarly literature is William A. Niskanen (1932–2011), an American economist recognized for his work in public choice theory. He is associated with the budget-maximizing model of bureaucrats, a framework in which government officials are depicted as seeking to maximize their agency’s budget and program scope within political and budgetary constraints. The concept has been influential in analyses of government budgeting, regulation, and the behavior of public agencies.

Beyond this notable economist, Niskanen primarily exists as a family name carried by individuals of Finnish heritage. There are no widely recognized non-surname uses of the term.