NameCensus.

UK surname

Nicola

An Italian surname derived from the given name Nicola, meaning "victory of the people."

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Nicola surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 624, ranked #8,450, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Enfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nicola is 624 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10300.0%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

624

2016, ranked #8,450

Peak year

2016

624 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nicola had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 624 in 2016, ranked #8,450.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 26 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Nicola surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nicola surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nicola 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
1861 historical 3 #33,861
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1891 historical 16 #32,868
1901 historical 26 #31,152
1911 historical 19 #31,416
1997 modern 519 #9,058
1998 modern 549 #8,951
1999 modern 553 #8,945
2000 modern 533 #9,169
2001 modern 521 #9,174
2002 modern 530 #9,242
2003 modern 527 #9,137
2004 modern 534 #9,057
2005 modern 536 #8,968
2006 modern 513 #9,305
2007 modern 513 #9,393
2008 modern 514 #9,445
2009 modern 529 #9,442
2010 modern 559 #9,245
2011 modern 553 #9,228
2012 modern 577 #8,862
2013 modern 617 #8,548
2014 modern 618 #8,601
2015 modern 604 #8,692
2016 modern 624 #8,450

Geography

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Where Nicolas 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 Enfield. 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 Enfield 031 Enfield
2 Enfield 035 Enfield
3 Enfield 005 Enfield
4 Enfield 017 Enfield
5 Enfield 021 Enfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nicola

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nicola

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Nicola surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Nicola household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Nicola is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nicola is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nicola falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nicola is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Nicola

The surname Nicola is of Italian origin, specifically from the regions of Campania and Basilicata in southern Italy. It has its roots in the ancient Greek name "Nikolaos," which means "victory of the people." The name was later Latinized to "Nicolaus" during the Roman era.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Nicola can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a medieval cartulary from the Abbazia della Santissima Trinità di Cava de' Tirreni in Campania, dating back to the 11th century. The name also appears in various historical documents from the Kingdom of Naples and the Republic of Venice.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Nicola was Nicola Pisano (c. 1220-1284), an Italian sculptor and architect who played a crucial role in the Renaissance of Italian sculpture. His most famous work is the pulpit in the Baptistery of Pisa, which he completed in 1260.

Another prominent individual with the surname Nicola was Giovanni Battista Nicola (1510-1588), an Italian painter and architect from Campania. He is best known for his frescoes in the churches of Naples and the surrounding areas.

In the 18th century, Pietro Nicola (1728-1808) was an Italian architect and engineer from Basilicata. He is renowned for his work on the Royal Palace of Caserta, one of the largest palaces erected in Europe during the 18th century.

During the 19th century, Costantino Nicola (1810-1877) was an Italian botanist and explorer from Campania. He conducted extensive research on the flora of southern Italy and is credited with discovering several new plant species.

Another notable figure was Antonio Nicola (1858-1927), an Italian politician and lawyer from Basilicata. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was a prominent advocate for the rights of workers and farmers in southern Italy.

The surname Nicola has also been associated with various place names, such as the town of Nicola di Cossano in the province of Salerno, Campania, and the village of Nicola in the province of Potenza, Basilicata.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nicola families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nicola 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. Middlesex leads with 4 Nicolas recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.85x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 4 6.85x
Durham 1 5.75x
Worcestershire 1 13.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 4 Nicolas recorded in 1881 and an index of 85.11x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 4 85.11x
Sunderland 1 322.58x
Upton On Severn 1 2000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eugiene 1
Franne 1
Henriette 1
Thoresina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Grand 1
Nino 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 Nicola households.

FAQ

Nicola surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nicola surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Nicola surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nicola surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 624 in 2016. That gives Nicola a modern rank of #8,450.

What does the Nicola surname mean?

An Italian surname derived from the given name Nicola, meaning "victory of the people."

What does the Nicola map show?

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