NameCensus.

UK surname

Nickson

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

In the 1881 census there were 894 people recorded with the Nickson surname, ranking it #4,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,417, ranked #4,303, down from #4,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Manchester and Lytham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Halton and Wyre.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nickson is 1,505 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.5%.

1881 census count

894

Ranked #4,259

Modern count

1,417

2016, ranked #4,303

Peak year

2002

1,505 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nickson had 894 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,417 in 2016, ranked #4,303.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,342 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Nickson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nickson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nickson 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 672 #3,863
1861 historical 585 #4,514
1881 historical 894 #4,259
1891 historical 894 #4,606
1901 historical 1,231 #4,026
1911 historical 1,342 #3,566
1997 modern 1,455 #4,015
1998 modern 1,449 #4,173
1999 modern 1,465 #4,163
2000 modern 1,475 #4,121
2001 modern 1,440 #4,116
2002 modern 1,505 #4,064
2003 modern 1,467 #4,071
2004 modern 1,411 #4,192
2005 modern 1,396 #4,197
2006 modern 1,376 #4,257
2007 modern 1,408 #4,213
2008 modern 1,399 #4,261
2009 modern 1,454 #4,218
2010 modern 1,485 #4,219
2011 modern 1,436 #4,286
2012 modern 1,386 #4,335
2013 modern 1,429 #4,304
2014 modern 1,438 #4,306
2015 modern 1,425 #4,295
2016 modern 1,417 #4,303

Geography

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Where Nicksons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Manchester, Lytham, Preston and Bispham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Halton, Wyre, Preston and East Lindsey. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Lytham Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Bispham Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 017 Flintshire
2 Halton 012 Halton
3 Wyre 006 Wyre
4 Preston 013 Preston
5 East Lindsey 008 East Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nickson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nickson

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Nickson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Nickson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nickson 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

Nickson is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nickson falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Nickson

The surname Nickson is of English origin, emerging during the medieval period in the 13th century. It is derived from the given name "Nicholas," which itself comes from the Greek name "Nikolaos," meaning "victory of the people." The name likely originated in regions where Anglo-Norman influence was strong, such as the Midlands and northern England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Nickson can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a man named Willelmus Nicholson is listed. This spelling variation, with the patronymic suffix "-son" added to the given name, was common during this era.

By the 14th century, the surname had evolved to its more modern spelling of "Nickson." A notable example is John Nickson, a merchant from York who is mentioned in the city's Freemen's Roll in 1358.

The Nickson name also appears in historical records related to land ownership and taxation. For instance, a Richard Nickson is documented in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1317, indicating the family's presence in the region.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Nickson surname was William Nickson, born around 1490 in Nottinghamshire. He was a member of the gentry and held lands in the village of Sutton Bonington.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Nickson, born in 1525 in Lincolnshire. He served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1572 for his military service during the Anglo-Spanish War.

In the 17th century, the Nickson family had established a presence in the city of London. Robert Nickson, born in 1620, was a successful merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers.

During the English Civil War, Captain Thomas Nickson, born in 1635 in Derbyshire, fought for the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He was present at the Battle of Naseby in 1645, one of the decisive engagements of the conflict.

The 18th century saw the Nickson name spread further across England and into other parts of the British Isles. One notable figure was Sir William Nickson, born in 1745 in Yorkshire, who served as the Governor of the British East India Company's settlement in Madras (now Chennai), India, from 1788 to 1794.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nickson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nickson 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. Lancashire leads with 572 Nicksons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.55x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 572 5.55x
Cheshire 115 5.99x
Middlesex 33 0.38x
Yorkshire 32 0.37x
Shropshire 16 2.13x
Kent 13 0.44x
Flintshire 12 5.14x
Surrey 12 0.28x
Staffordshire 11 0.37x
Suffolk 9 0.85x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.52x
Denbighshire 8 2.44x
Worcestershire 7 0.62x
Anglesey 5 3.25x
Lincolnshire 5 0.36x
Northamptonshire 5 0.61x
Warwickshire 5 0.23x
Durham 4 0.15x
Somerset 4 0.29x
Gloucestershire 3 0.18x
Cumberland 2 0.27x
Essex 2 0.12x
Lanarkshire 2 0.07x
Sussex 2 0.14x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.28x
Leicestershire 1 0.10x
Oxfordshire 1 0.19x
Perthshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 83 Nicksons recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.08x.

Place Total Index
Preston 83 30.08x
Layton With Warbreck 59 155.88x
Toxteth Park 53 15.18x
Everton 44 13.39x
North Meols 23 22.78x
Runcorn 22 49.74x
Claughton In Garstang 18 1104.29x
Pendleton In Salford 18 14.65x
Manchester 17 3.67x
Medlar With Wesham 16 517.80x
Clifton Cum Salwick 15 1209.68x
Westby With Plumpton 15 943.40x
Broughton In Salford 13 13.79x
Frodsham 13 174.97x
Tranmere 13 18.44x
Leeds 11 2.26x
West Derby 11 3.65x
Lytham 10 63.53x
Widnes 10 13.44x
Marton 9 131.20x
Newmarket St Mary 9 110.84x
Salford 9 2.97x
Camberwell 8 1.44x
Habergham Eaves 8 8.49x
Hampstead London 8 5.91x
Lea Ashton Ingol 8 116.79x
Liverpool 8 1.28x
Loughton 8 833.33x
Manley 8 879.12x
Moss Side 8 14.74x
Nantwich 8 35.89x
Atherton 7 18.65x
Clitheroe 7 23.06x
Kirkham 7 51.36x
Litherland 7 32.47x
Ardwick 6 6.45x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 3.66x
Frodsham Lordship 6 184.62x
Laytham 6 3000.00x
Shocklach Church 6 750.00x
Sutton In Runcorn 6 535.71x
Westminster St 6 18.73x
Amlwch 5 34.48x
Birkenhead 5 3.27x
Birmingham 5 0.68x
Catterall 5 274.73x
Dutton Diffeth 5 1315.79x
Malpas Iscoyd 5 409.84x
Poulton Barre 5 42.63x
St Giles In Fields 5 16.68x
St Pancras London 5 0.71x
Stoke Bruern 5 200.00x
Worsley 5 7.87x
Ellesmere Kenwick 4 1142.86x
Farnworth 4 6.47x
Hawarden Pentrobin 4 107.53x
Islington London 4 0.47x
Little Timble 4 4444.44x
Ludlow St Lawrence 4 26.77x
Openshaw 4 8.28x
Pershore Holy Cross 4 55.02x
Poulton Le Fylde 4 109.29x
Shorne 4 152.67x
Stafford St Mary 4 9.63x
Walton Le Dale 4 14.44x
Altrincham 3 8.95x
Aston By Budworth 3 223.88x
Ince In Makerfield 3 6.25x
Kidderminster Foreign 3 18.69x
Kirkdale 3 1.73x
Lambeth 3 0.40x
Liscard 3 8.68x
Milton In Gravesend 3 6.75x
Shrewsbury St Julian 3 16.15x
St Andrew Holborn 3 10.18x
St Peters 3 21.87x
Tottington Lower End 3 6.12x
Walcot 3 4.03x
Weeton With Preece 3 236.22x
West Bromwich 3 1.79x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 72
William 57
Thomas 45
James 32
George 31
Robert 22
Richard 18
Joseph 17
Henry 13
Alfred 12
Charles 12
Edward 10
Frederick 7
Christopher 6
Herbert 5
Ralph 5
Cuthbert 4
Frank 4
Peter 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Thos. 3
Arthur 2
David 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Isaac 2
Joshua 2
Moses 2
Saml. 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Alphonsus 1
Ambrose 1
Benjamin 1
Chris 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Forester 1
Geo. 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Iddeson 1
Josh. 1
Joshia 1
Wm.Ed. 1

FAQ

Nickson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nickson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 894 people were recorded with the Nickson surname. That placed it at #4,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nickson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,417 in 2016. That gives Nickson a modern rank of #4,303.

What does the Nickson surname mean?

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

What does the Nickson map show?

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