UK surname
A surname derived from the given name Nicholas and indicating a descendant or family relation.
In the 1881 census there were 254 people recorded with the Nicholes surname, ranking it #10,949 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 52, ranked #34,780, down from #10,949 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, St Leonard Shoreditch and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nicholes is 801 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 79.5%.
1881 census count
254
Ranked #10,949
Modern count
52
2016, ranked #34,780
Peak year
1861
801 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Nicholes surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Nicholes surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 616 | #4,192 |
| 1861 | historical | 801 | #3,429 |
| 1881 | historical | 254 | #10,949 |
| 1891 | historical | 700 | #5,600 |
| 1901 | historical | 312 | #11,339 |
| 1911 | historical | 193 | #15,294 |
| 1997 | modern | 50 | #32,658 |
| 1998 | modern | 56 | #32,313 |
| 1999 | modern | 54 | #32,660 |
| 2000 | modern | 50 | #33,087 |
| 2001 | modern | 48 | #33,129 |
| 2002 | modern | 50 | #33,282 |
| 2003 | modern | 52 | #33,160 |
| 2004 | modern | 57 | #32,968 |
| 2005 | modern | 51 | #33,701 |
| 2006 | modern | 51 | #33,992 |
| 2007 | modern | 56 | #33,875 |
| 2008 | modern | 61 | #33,655 |
| 2009 | modern | 63 | #33,751 |
| 2010 | modern | 62 | #34,069 |
| 2011 | modern | 61 | #34,121 |
| 2012 | modern | 56 | #34,510 |
| 2013 | modern | 59 | #34,435 |
| 2014 | modern | 56 | #34,601 |
| 2015 | modern | 53 | #34,726 |
| 2016 | modern | 52 | #34,780 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, St Leonard Shoreditch, Paddington, London parishes and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sedgley | Staffordshire |
| 2 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | Paddington | London (West Districts) |
| 4 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Nicholes surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Nicholes, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Nicholes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Nicholes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Nicholes is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nicholes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Nicholes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Nicholes originates from England, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the medieval given name Nicholas, which was derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning "victory of the people." The name Nicholas was popular in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when it was brought over by Norman settlers.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Nicholes can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire in 1194, where a Henry Nicholes is mentioned. Other early records include the Curia Regis Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1207, which reference a William Nicholes, and the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1240, mentioning a Thomas Nicholes.
In the 13th century, the surname was found in various parts of England, with different spellings such as Nicholes, Nicholls, and Nicolls. Some of these variations likely stemmed from different regional dialects or scribal errors in record-keeping.
One notable bearer of the surname was Sir Edward Nicholes (c.1555-1626), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Arundel from 1597 to 1626. Another prominent figure was John Nicholes (c.1607-1678), an English Puritan minister who served as the rector of St. Giles' Church in Cripplegate, London.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Nicholes was also associated with several place names, such as Nicholes Green in Hertfordshire and Nicholes Farm in Oxfordshire. These place names likely derived from individuals with the surname who owned or lived in those areas.
Other notable individuals with the surname Nicholes include Thomas Nicholes (c.1550-1624), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Chester Cathedral, and William Nicholes (c.1590-1655), an English mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the development of logarithms.
While the surname Nicholes is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a long and rich history, spanning several centuries and including individuals from various walks of life, from politicians and clergymen to scientists and academics.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nicholes surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 31 Nicholes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.25x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 31 | 1.25x |
| Staffordshire | 27 | 3.23x |
| Devon | 20 | 3.88x |
| Lancashire | 18 | 0.61x |
| Surrey | 17 | 1.41x |
| Lincolnshire | 13 | 3.28x |
| Shropshire | 12 | 5.61x |
| Essex | 11 | 2.25x |
| Kent | 11 | 1.30x |
| Norfolk | 10 | 2.63x |
| Herefordshire | 9 | 8.86x |
| Suffolk | 9 | 2.98x |
| Derbyshire | 8 | 2.06x |
| Glamorgan | 8 | 1.85x |
| Warwickshire | 8 | 1.28x |
| Wiltshire | 8 | 3.65x |
| Cornwall | 7 | 2.50x |
| Buckinghamshire | 3 | 2.00x |
| Monmouthshire | 3 | 1.67x |
| Somerset | 3 | 0.75x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 0.41x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 0.39x |
| Northamptonshire | 2 | 0.86x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 0.62x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.08x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 0.64x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.14x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.12x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 0.36x |
| Merionethshire | 1 | 2.21x |
| Perthshire | 1 | 0.90x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 0.52x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.24x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sutton St Edmunds in Lincolnshire leads with 11 Nicholes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1964.29x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Nicholes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 17 |
| Elizabeth | 10 |
| Eliza | 7 |
| Emma | 7 |
| Jane | 7 |
| Sarah | 6 |
| Alice | 5 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Annie | 4 |
| Fanny | 4 |
| Ellen | 3 |
| Florence | 3 |
| Frances | 3 |
| Harriet | 3 |
| Matilda | 3 |
| Beatrice | 2 |
| Bessie | 2 |
| Charlotte | 2 |
| Clara | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Gertrude | 2 |
| Henrietta | 2 |
| Julia | 2 |
| Margaret | 2 |
| Martha | 2 |
| A.S. | 1 |
| Amelia | 1 |
| Anne | 1 |
| Blanche | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Dinah | 1 |
| Eda | 1 |
| Elizebeth | 1 |
| Esther | 1 |
| Francis | 1 |
| Hester | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Jessie | 1 |
| Kezzia | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Maryann | 1 |
| Maud | 1 |
| Pressilla | 1 |
| Rosina | 1 |
| Sophia | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
| Tamar | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Nicholes surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| John | 17 |
| William | 15 |
| Thomas | 9 |
| George | 8 |
| Henry | 7 |
| Benjamin | 5 |
| Robert | 5 |
| Alfred | 4 |
| Joseph | 4 |
| Albert | 3 |
| Charles | 3 |
| Frank | 3 |
| Herbert | 3 |
| Allan | 2 |
| Andrew | 2 |
| Arthur | 2 |
| Edwin | 2 |
| Harry | 2 |
| James | 2 |
| Richard | 2 |
| Amos | 1 |
| Aurthur | 1 |
| Daniel | 1 |
| David | 1 |
| Edwd. | 1 |
| Elijah | 1 |
| Fred. | 1 |
| Fred.Thomas | 1 |
| Frederick | 1 |
| Fredk. | 1 |
| Isaiah | 1 |
| Joe | 1 |
| Michael | 1 |
| Orlando | 1 |
| Philip | 1 |
| Sam | 1 |
| Samuel | 1 |
| Solomon | 1 |
| Stedman | 1 |
| Sydney | 1 |
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 Nicholes households.
FAQ
In 1881, 254 people were recorded with the Nicholes surname. That placed it at #10,949 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 52 in 2016. That gives Nicholes a modern rank of #34,780.
A surname derived from the given name Nicholas and indicating a descendant or family relation.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Nicholes bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.