NameCensus.

UK surname

Nicholson

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Nicholas, meaning "son of Nicholas" or "descendant of Nicholas."

In the 1881 census there were 21,253 people recorded with the Nicholson surname, ranking it #168 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 29,571, ranked #184, down from #168 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Northumberland and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nicholson is 30,192 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.1%.

1881 census count

21,253

Ranked #168

Modern count

29,571

2016, ranked #184

Peak year

1999

30,192 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nicholson had 21,253 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #168 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 29,571 in 2016, ranked #184.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 26,493 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Nicholson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nicholson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nicholson 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 13,699 #171
1861 historical 14,619 #161
1881 historical 21,253 #168
1891 historical 23,145 #158
1901 historical 26,493 #164
1911 historical 26,032 #161
1997 modern 29,084 #185
1998 modern 30,039 #185
1999 modern 30,192 #185
2000 modern 29,883 #187
2001 modern 29,219 #186
2002 modern 29,718 #187
2003 modern 28,643 #189
2004 modern 28,737 #188
2005 modern 28,267 #188
2006 modern 28,311 #188
2007 modern 28,526 #187
2008 modern 28,771 #185
2009 modern 29,355 #184
2010 modern 30,140 #183
2011 modern 29,776 #184
2012 modern 29,158 #184
2013 modern 29,767 #184
2014 modern 30,037 #184
2015 modern 29,747 #183
2016 modern 29,571 #184

Geography

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Where Nicholsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Leeds and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Northumberland, South Lakeland and County Durham. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 004 Copeland
2 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
3 South Lakeland 004 South Lakeland
4 South Lakeland 003 South Lakeland
5 County Durham 045 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nicholson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nicholson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Nicholson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Nicholson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nicholson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nicholson is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nicholson falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nicholson 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 Nicholson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nicholson

The surname Nicholson is of English origin, derived from the personal name Nicholas and the patronymic suffix "-son," meaning "son of Nicholas." The name Nicholas itself is derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, which means "victory of the people."

Nicholson is believed to have first emerged in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Durham, during the 12th and 13th centuries. It is closely related to other English surnames such as Nichols, Nicholl, and Nicoll, which share the same root name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Nicholson appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where a certain Willelmus Nicholson is mentioned. The name is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, which lists a John Nicholson.

In the 14th century, the surname Nicholson is recorded in various parts of England, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where several individuals with this surname are listed. During this period, variations in spelling were common, with forms like Nicholsone, Nicholsoun, and Nicholeson appearing in historical records.

One notable bearer of the Nicholson surname was Sir George Nicholson (1554-1628), an English judge and politician who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King James I.

Another prominent figure was James Nicholson (1737-1804), an English chemist and author who made significant contributions to the field of mineralogy and is considered one of the founders of modern mineralogical chemistry.

In the literary world, the name Nicholson is associated with Hubert Nicholson (1865-1941), an English poet and playwright who wrote works such as "The Bride of England" and "The Cavalier."

The 20th century saw the rise of Jack Nicholson (born 1937), the renowned American actor and filmmaker who has won three Academy Awards and is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation.

Finally, it's worth mentioning Nicola Nicholson (born 1986), a British artist and sculptor known for her large-scale public artworks, such as the "Bridgegate" installation in Leeds.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nicholson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nicholson 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. Yorkshire leads with 4,739 Nicholsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.30x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 4,739 2.30x
Durham 2,716 4.40x
Lancashire 2,635 1.07x
Northumberland 1,586 5.14x
Cumberland 1,466 8.20x
Middlesex 1,126 0.54x
Lincolnshire 668 2.01x
Surrey 538 0.53x
Westmorland 480 10.52x
Lanarkshire 312 0.46x
Hampshire 308 0.72x
Nottinghamshire 305 1.09x
Cheshire 286 0.62x
Midlothian 264 0.95x
Fife 256 2.08x
Kent 249 0.35x
Sussex 224 0.64x
Dumfriesshire 221 4.82x
Norfolk 180 0.56x
Essex 152 0.37x
Renfrewshire 138 0.86x
Derbyshire 137 0.42x
Devon 133 0.31x
Inverness-shire 130 2.10x
Ross-shire 112 1.96x
Warwickshire 94 0.18x
Wigtownshire 92 3.34x
Shetland 91 4.29x
Angus 90 0.47x
Staffordshire 86 0.12x
Perthshire 83 0.89x
Gloucestershire 69 0.17x
Leicestershire 67 0.29x
Ayrshire 62 0.40x
Kirkcudbrightshire 62 2.06x
Somerset 59 0.18x
Dunbartonshire 57 1.02x
Hertfordshire 56 0.39x
Huntingdonshire 55 1.33x
East Lothian 48 1.75x
Aberdeenshire 47 0.24x
Caithness 45 1.58x
Cambridgeshire 43 0.33x
Northamptonshire 42 0.22x
Berkshire 41 0.26x
Glamorgan 40 0.11x
Bedfordshire 38 0.35x
Orkney 38 1.66x
Cornwall 37 0.16x
Roxburghshire 36 0.96x
Wiltshire 34 0.19x
Worcestershire 33 0.12x
Stirlingshire 30 0.39x
Channel Islands 27 0.44x
Morayshire 23 0.71x
Monmouthshire 21 0.14x
Royal Navy 20 0.81x
Suffolk 20 0.08x
Berwickshire 17 0.68x
Oxfordshire 17 0.13x
Selkirkshire 17 0.91x
Isle of Man 16 0.42x
West Lothian 16 0.51x
Argyllshire 15 0.26x
Banffshire 15 0.35x
Flintshire 14 0.25x
Pembrokeshire 12 0.18x
Caernarfonshire 11 0.13x
Shropshire 10 0.06x
Anglesey 8 0.22x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.06x
Herefordshire 8 0.09x
Carmarthenshire 7 0.08x
Dorset 7 0.05x
Sutherland 7 0.44x
Brecknockshire 5 0.12x
Buteshire 5 0.40x
Nairnshire 5 0.79x
Rutland 3 0.20x
Denbighshire 2 0.03x
Kincardineshire 2 0.08x
Peeblesshire 2 0.20x
Merionethshire 1 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.02x
Radnorshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 295 Nicholsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.54x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 295 2.54x
Gateshead 266 5.75x
Sheffield 215 3.28x
Westoe 173 4.94x
Bishopwearmouth 171 3.23x
Bradford 170 3.41x
Liverpool 165 1.10x
Elswick 159 6.45x
Lambeth 159 0.88x
Holy Trinity 154 3.11x
Stockton On Tees 147 4.94x
Hunslet 130 4.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 129 1.15x
Toxteth Park 125 1.50x
St Pancras London 116 0.69x
Darlington 115 4.82x
Ecclesall Bierlow 112 2.68x
West Derby 112 1.55x
Everton 111 1.41x
Penrith 104 15.75x
Sculcoates 102 3.13x
Tanfield 99 13.48x
Byker 95 6.22x
Manchester 93 0.84x
Tynemouth 92 5.56x
Govan 89 0.54x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 89 4.83x
Preston 89 1.35x
Dawdon 86 11.32x
Barony 84 0.49x
Brightside Bierlow 83 2.06x
Lochs 83 18.29x
Crook Billy Row 81 10.24x
Nottingham St Mary 81 1.12x
Portsea 81 0.97x
Whitehaven 80 8.40x
Shoreditch London 79 0.88x
Egremont 78 18.31x
Scarborough 78 4.17x
Glasgow 77 0.65x
Salford 76 1.05x
Middlesbrough 75 2.80x
Lancaster 73 4.98x
Longbenton 72 5.50x
Brighton 71 1.01x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 71 2.65x
Nether Hallam 71 2.55x
Winlaton 71 11.98x
Earsdon 70 27.86x
Ashton Under Lyne 69 1.28x
Horton In Bradford 67 2.09x
Barrow In Furness 66 1.97x
Hartlepool 65 7.41x
Kensington London 65 0.56x
Little Bolton 65 2.05x
St Marylebone London 64 0.58x
Kendal 62 7.42x
York St Mary 62 7.28x
Islington London 61 0.30x
St Cuthbert W O 61 7.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 59 1.51x
Camberwell 57 0.43x
Great Yarmouth 57 2.16x
Manningham 57 2.25x
Westgate 56 2.93x
Wortley In Bramley 55 3.38x
Cowpen 54 7.59x
Hetton Le Hole 54 6.90x
Heworth 53 4.36x
South Leith 53 1.69x
Bedlington 52 5.04x
Bethnal Green London 52 0.58x
Huddersfield 52 1.74x
Dundee 51 0.71x
Hackney London 51 0.44x
Holbeck 50 3.67x
Ulverston 48 6.69x
Caldewgate 47 4.80x
Dysart 47 5.68x
Batley 46 2.35x
Hesket In Forest 46 32.98x
Hulme 46 0.89x
West Greenock 46 1.59x
Chirton 45 6.44x
Newington 45 0.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,467
Elizabeth 845
Sarah 614
Jane 536
Ann 427
Margaret 414
Annie 305
Hannah 286
Ellen 230
Alice 229
Eliza 192
Isabella 182
Emma 161
Emily 136
Martha 128
Catherine 97
Frances 94
Agnes 93
Edith 92
Harriet 87
Ada 85
Charlotte 80
Maria 80
Fanny 79
Louisa 76
Florence 73
Kate 72
Lucy 68
Eleanor 63
Anne 61
Clara 61
Caroline 59
Esther 56
Amelia 48
Rebecca 47
Dorothy 45
Jessie 44
Harriett 40
Elizth. 39
Gertrude 39
Rose 37
Susan 37
Margt. 36
Susannah 35
Betsy 33
Ruth 30
Sophia 28
Amy 27
Bridget 27
Helen 27

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1,434
William 1,094
Thomas 726
George 628
James 564
Joseph 437
Robert 387
Henry 283
Charles 260
Richard 194
Edward 191
Arthur 146
Alfred 125
Walter 112
Samuel 107
Frederick 100
Isaac 82
Wm. 82
Herbert 77
Frank 76
Albert 71
David 68
Harry 66
Francis 59
Thos. 59
Matthew 54
Fred 47
Ralph 45
Edwin 43
Benjamin 38
Geo. 38
Tom 38
Peter 36
Christopher 32
Ernest 31
Jonathan 29
Robt. 29
Andrew 23
Stephen 23
Mark 22
Alexander 21
Michael 21
Anthony 20
Hugh 19
Jno. 18
Martin 17
Percy 16
Daniel 15
Patrick 15
Fredrick 14

FAQ

Nicholson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nicholson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21,253 people were recorded with the Nicholson surname. That placed it at #168 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nicholson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 29,571 in 2016. That gives Nicholson a modern rank of #184.

What does the Nicholson surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Nicholas, meaning "son of Nicholas" or "descendant of Nicholas."

What does the Nicholson map show?

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