NameCensus.

UK surname

Nicolle

French surname derived from the masculine given name Nicole, ultimately from the Greek name Nikolaos meaning "victory of the people."

In the 1881 census there were 20 people recorded with the Nicolle surname, ranking it #30,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 216, ranked #18,613, up from #30,738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Acton, Wivenhoe and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lunan, Wiltshire and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nicolle is 227 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 980.0%.

1881 census count

20

Ranked #30,738

Modern count

216

2016, ranked #18,613

Peak year

2013

227 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nicolle had 20 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,738 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016, ranked #18,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 111 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Nicolle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nicolle surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nicolle 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 19 #31,470
1881 historical 20 #30,738
1891 historical 21 #32,526
1901 historical 77 #25,627
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 191 #18,150
1998 modern 202 #17,991
1999 modern 218 #17,258
2000 modern 224 #16,934
2001 modern 223 #16,765
2002 modern 223 #17,099
2003 modern 205 #17,851
2004 modern 205 #17,935
2005 modern 212 #17,473
2006 modern 210 #17,718
2007 modern 213 #17,744
2008 modern 211 #17,997
2009 modern 208 #18,551
2010 modern 216 #18,492
2011 modern 218 #18,206
2012 modern 215 #18,304
2013 modern 227 #17,922
2014 modern 224 #18,202
2015 modern 219 #18,406
2016 modern 216 #18,613

Geography

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Where Nicolles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Acton, Wivenhoe, London parishes and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lunan, Wiltshire, Westminster, Bolton and Torbay. 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 Acton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Wivenhoe Essex
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lunan Angus
2 Wiltshire 012 Wiltshire
3 Westminster 022 Westminster
4 Bolton 006 Bolton
5 Torbay 002 Torbay

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nicolle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nicolle

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Nicolle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Nicolle 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nicolle 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

Nicolle 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

Nicolle 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 Nicolle 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 Nicolle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nicolle

The surname Nicolle originated in Normandy, France during the medieval period. It is derived from the personal name Nicholas, which has Greek origins meaning "victory of the people." The name Nicolle is a French diminutive form of this name.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Nicolle can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Nichole." This suggests that the name was already in use in Normandy before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

In the 12th century, the name Nicolle appeared in various records and manuscripts from Normandy and other parts of northern France. For example, a certain Willelmus Nicolle was mentioned in a charter from Rouen in 1195.

During the Middle Ages, the name Nicolle was also associated with certain place names in Normandy, such as the village of Nicolleville. This village likely took its name from an early bearer of the surname Nicolle.

One notable bearer of the surname Nicolle was Jehan Nicolle, a French poet and chronicler who lived in the 14th century. He is known for his work "La Chronique de la Prise d'Alexandrie," which recounts the events of the Crusades.

Another famous Nicolle was Jacques Nicolle, a French physician and microbiologist who lived from 1857 to 1936. He made significant contributions to the study of infectious diseases and was a pioneer in the field of bacteriology.

In the 16th century, the name Nicolle appeared in various spellings, such as Nicol, Nicoll, and Nicolls. One example is Sir Augustine Nicolls, an English soldier and colonial administrator who served as the first English governor of New York from 1664 to 1668.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Nicolle surname spread to other parts of Europe and beyond. For instance, John Nicolle was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was born in 1770 on the island of Jersey.

Another notable bearer of the name was Aimé Nicolle, a French sculptor who lived from 1826 to 1893. He is known for his works in the neoclassical style, including sculptures for the Opéra Garnier in Paris.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nicolle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nicolle 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. Channel Islands leads with 482 Nicolles recorded in 1881 and an index of 332.18x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 482 332.18x
Surrey 6 0.25x
Yorkshire 5 0.10x
Middlesex 4 0.08x
Devon 1 0.10x
Essex 1 0.10x
Fife 1 0.35x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Worcestershire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Helier in Channel Islands leads with 129 Nicolles recorded in 1881 and an index of 273.07x.

Place Total Index
St Helier 129 273.07x
St Maryde Castro 76 2128.85x
Trinity 49 1458.33x
St Martin 36 404.95x
St Peter Port 36 134.13x
St Andrew 27 1406.25x
St Michaelinthe Vale 27 521.24x
St Saviour 24 299.25x
St Lawrence 20 505.05x
Grouville 17 420.79x
St Clement 10 452.49x
St Sampson 10 152.91x
St John 9 324.91x
St Brelade 6 160.86x
Bermondsey 5 3.43x
St Owen 5 131.23x
Thornaby 5 27.58x
Edmonton 3 7.60x
Brightlingsea 1 18.12x
Leatherhead 1 16.72x
Southampton St Mary 1 1.58x
St Andrews 1 7.58x
St Marylebone London 1 0.38x
St Peter 1 23.87x
Stoke Damerel 1 1.40x
Worcester St Michael 1 135.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 14
Philip 12
Thomas 11
Francis 9
Peter 9
Charles 6
Joshua 6
Walter 6
Alfred 5
Daniel 5
Henry 5
Isaac 5
Arthur 4
Hilary 4
Albert 3
Clement 3
Edward 3
Elias 3
Ernest 3
Helier 3
James 3
Joseph 3
Ph. 3
Abraham 2
Bonamy 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Fred. 2
Frederic 2
Frederick 2
Hillary 2
Matthew 2
Pierre 2
Augustus 1
Clifford 1
Clt. 1
Douglas 1
Fred.J. 1
Goac 1
Harvey 1
Jasue 1
Jean 1
Lennard 1
Louis 1
Matthieu 1
Nicholas 1
Percy 1
Winter 1

FAQ

Nicolle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nicolle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 20 people were recorded with the Nicolle surname. That placed it at #30,738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nicolle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016. That gives Nicolle a modern rank of #18,613.

What does the Nicolle surname mean?

French surname derived from the masculine given name Nicole, ultimately from the Greek name Nikolaos meaning "victory of the people."

What does the Nicolle map show?

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