NameCensus.

UK surname

Niccolls

A variant of the patronymic surname Nicholas or Nicholson, derived from the given name Nicholas.

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Niccolls surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 108, ranked #29,578, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Lancaster and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Niccolls is 109 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 315.4%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

108

2016, ranked #29,578

Peak year

2015

109 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Niccolls had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016, ranked #29,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 46 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Niccolls surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Niccolls surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Niccolls 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
1851 historical 41 #25,926
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 43 #30,933
1901 historical 21 #31,686
1911 historical 46 #28,224
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 104 #26,981
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 106 #26,848
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 106 #27,045
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 97 #28,793
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 99 #30,397
2011 modern 101 #29,938
2012 modern 103 #29,733
2013 modern 102 #30,415
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 108 #29,578

Geography

Back to top

Where Niccolls' 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 Wirral, Lancaster and New Forest. 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 Wirral 001 Wirral
2 Wirral 002 Wirral
3 Lancaster 018 Lancaster
4 New Forest 017 New Forest
5 Wirral 008 Wirral

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Niccolls

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Niccolls

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Niccolls surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Niccolls household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Niccolls is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Niccolls is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Niccolls falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Niccolls is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Niccolls

The surname NICCOLLS is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is a variant spelling of the name Nicholl, which itself derives from the Old English given name Niccol or Nicol. This name is a diminutive form of the name Nicholas, which comes from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning "victory of the people."

NICCOLLS is believed to have originated in the county of Lincolnshire, England, where it was first recorded in the 13th century. Early records show the name spelled in various ways, including Nicol, Nicoll, Nickoll, and Niccoll, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling at the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name NICCOLLS can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, a census-like record from 1273. The name appears as "Nicholaus filius Nicholai," which translates to "Nicholas, son of Nicholas." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name NICCOLLS appeared in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, as "John Nicoll." This record dates back to 1348 and provides evidence of the name's spread beyond Lincolnshire.

One notable figure with the surname NICCOLLS was Sir Augustine Niccolls (1590-1616), an English judge and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Truro, Cornwall, in the early 17th century.

Another prominent individual was John Niccolls (1596-1673), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Cheselbourne, Dorset.

In the 18th century, James Niccolls (1737-1804) was a prominent English landscape painter and engraver, known for his topographical views of London and its surroundings.

Moving into the 19th century, William Niccolls (1807-1868) was an English naval officer and hydrographer who made significant contributions to the mapping of the coasts of Australia and New Zealand.

Lastly, Sir Jasper Niccolls (1846-1918) was a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of several British colonies, including British Guiana (now Guyana) and the Leeward Islands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Niccolls families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Niccolls 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. Shropshire leads with 10 Niccolls' recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.64x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 10 45.64x
Lancashire 6 1.99x
Cheshire 4 7.15x
Middlesex 4 1.58x
Montgomeryshire 1 17.21x
Somerset 1 2.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oswestry Rural in Shropshire leads with 7 Niccolls' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2058.82x.

Place Total Index
Oswestry Rural 7 2058.82x
Liscard 4 396.04x
Over Darwen 4 166.67x
Paddington London 4 42.92x
Selattyn 3 3000.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 41.84x
Buttington 1 5000.00x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 93.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Lucy 2
Sarah 2
Christiana 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
John 2
Richard 2
Arthur 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Thomas 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 Niccolls households.

FAQ

Niccolls surname: questions and answers

How common was the Niccolls surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Niccolls surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Niccolls surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016. That gives Niccolls a modern rank of #29,578.

What does the Niccolls surname mean?

A variant of the patronymic surname Nicholas or Nicholson, derived from the given name Nicholas.

What does the Niccolls map show?

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