NameCensus.

UK surname

Nicols

An Anglicized form of the Germanic surname Nikolaus, derived from the Greek name Nikolaos meaning "victory of the people".

In the 1881 census there were 186 people recorded with the Nicols surname, ranking it #13,448 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 99, ranked #31,358, down from #13,448 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hendon and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Callander and Trossachs and North East Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nicols is 234 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 46.8%.

1881 census count

186

Ranked #13,448

Modern count

99

2016, ranked #31,358

Peak year

1851

234 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 1891

Key insights

  • Nicols had 186 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,448 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016, ranked #31,358.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 234 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Nicols surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nicols surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Nicols 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 234 #9,241
1861 historical 147 #15,539
1881 historical 186 #13,448
1891 historical 101 #23,870
1901 historical 93 #23,689
1911 historical 53 #27,508
1997 modern 73 #30,306
1998 modern 73 #30,681
1999 modern 73 #30,856
2000 modern 79 #30,249
2001 modern 73 #30,699
2002 modern 84 #29,982
2003 modern 84 #29,978
2004 modern 87 #29,897
2005 modern 92 #29,271
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 95 #29,493
2008 modern 94 #29,950
2009 modern 100 #29,597
2010 modern 95 #31,000
2011 modern 92 #31,301
2012 modern 97 #30,798
2013 modern 102 #30,415
2014 modern 100 #31,033
2015 modern 99 #31,168
2016 modern 99 #31,358

Geography

Back to top

Where Nicols' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hendon, St Pancras, St Marylebone and St Luke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Callander and Trossachs, North East Derbyshire, Wycombe and Watford. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Hendon Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 St Luke London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales
2 Callander and Trossachs Stirling
3 North East Derbyshire 006 North East Derbyshire
4 Wycombe 017 Wycombe
5 Watford 007 Watford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Nicols

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Nicols

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Nicols surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Nicols 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nicols 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

Nicols 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

Nicols falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nicols 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Nicols

The surname Nicols is of English origin, deriving from the medieval given name Nicholas, itself from the Greek name Nikolaos. This name is comprised of the Greek elements niko, meaning "victory" and laos, meaning "people." The earliest known record of the Nicols surname dates back to the late 12th century in County Lancashire.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest, there are several entries for individuals bearing the name Nicholas or its variations. These include Nicholaus de Steinfeld in Sussex and Nicholas de Hulle in Buckinghamshire. While not explicitly recorded as surnames, these entries suggest the name's prevalence in England even before the adoption of hereditary surnames.

The Nicols surname has several notable early bearers. One of the earliest was Sir Nicholas Bacon (1510-1579), an English politician and Lord Keeper of the Great Seal under Queen Elizabeth I. Another was Sir Nicholas Carew (1496-1539), a courtier and diplomat who served as a member of King Henry VIII's Privy Council.

In Scotland, the Nicolson family traced their lineage to the 12th century, with one of the earliest known bearers being Richard Nicolson, who was granted lands in Roxburghshire in 1165. Notable members of this family include William Nicolson (1655-1727), an English bishop and antiquarian, and Nigel Nicolson (1917-2004), a writer and biographer.

The Nicols surname has also been present in Ireland, where it is thought to have arrived with English settlers during the Norman conquest and subsequent plantations. One notable Irish bearer was Francis Nicholson (1655-1728), a military officer and colonial administrator who served as Governor of several British colonies in America, including Virginia and Nova Scotia.

Throughout history, the surname has undergone various spellings, including Nichols, Nicholls, Nicolson, and Nicholson. These variations often reflected regional or cultural influences. Despite this diversity in spelling, the core meaning and origin of the surname have remained consistent, tracing back to the Greek name Nicholas and its connotations of victory and people.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Nicols families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nicols 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 54 Nicols' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.96x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 54 2.96x
Yorkshire 17 0.94x
Lanarkshire 16 2.71x
Kent 15 2.41x
Surrey 15 1.69x
Durham 9 1.66x
Essex 8 2.22x
Lancashire 7 0.32x
Cheshire 6 1.49x
Devon 4 1.05x
Lincolnshire 4 1.37x
Somerset 4 1.36x
Sussex 4 1.30x
Oxfordshire 3 2.66x
Staffordshire 3 0.49x
Aberdeenshire 2 1.18x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.73x
Cornwall 2 0.97x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.81x
Suffolk 2 0.90x
Worcestershire 2 0.84x
Berkshire 1 0.73x
Glamorgan 1 0.31x
Herefordshire 1 1.34x
Monmouthshire 1 0.76x
Norfolk 1 0.36x
Northumberland 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 10 Nicols' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.62x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 10 12.62x
Dalserf 10 169.78x
Chiswick 9 90.27x
St Pancras London 9 6.13x
Mirfield 8 80.65x
Everton 7 10.15x
Spitalfields London 7 51.02x
Hackney London 6 5.87x
Northfleet 6 109.49x
Bermondsey 5 9.21x
Gateshead 5 12.31x
Old Monkland 5 21.36x
Brighton 4 6.45x
Chertsey 4 69.69x
Hyde 4 33.67x
Kimberworth 4 39.88x
Luxborough 4 1538.46x
Sunderland Bridge 4 465.12x
West Ham 4 5.03x
Beckenham 3 36.86x
Clerkenwell London 3 6.97x
Kingston On Thames 3 14.05x
Marsh Baldon 3 1500.00x
Spalding 3 51.81x
Burton Upon Trent 2 13.88x
Chester St John Baptist 2 27.62x
Exeter St Thomas The 2 51.68x
Greenwich 2 6.89x
Hampstead London 2 7.04x
Kensington London 2 1.97x
Lambeth 2 1.26x
March 2 51.68x
Plumstead 2 9.64x
Radford 2 16.01x
St Juliot 2 1428.57x
St Marylebone London 2 2.05x
Stourbridge 2 32.63x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 2.84x
Abergavenny 1 20.24x
Almeley 1 263.16x
Bow London 1 4.31x
Bradford 1 2.29x
Broome 1 312.50x
Chelmsford 1 16.18x
Cookham 1 23.42x
Deptford St Paul 1 2.08x
East Stonehouse 1 13.37x
Grantham 1 26.32x
Hamilton 1 6.08x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 68.97x
Leeds 1 0.98x
Mile End Old Town 1 3.47x
Newington In Milton 1 153.85x
North Weald Bassett 1 158.73x
Pakefield 1 181.82x
Penge 1 8.58x
Purleigh 1 185.19x
Roath 1 6.93x
Rotherham 1 9.81x
Scarborough 1 6.09x
Shenfield 1 107.53x
St George In East 1 8.06x
Tarves 1 62.50x
Tormoham 1 6.22x
Wallsend 1 11.61x
Wednesbury 1 6.50x
Westminster St James 1 5.33x
Wissett 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 9
Charlotte 4
Ann 3
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Isabella 3
Jane 3
Caroline 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Kate 2
Sarah 2
Abigail 1
Adeline 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Ascenath 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Carroline 1
Cathe. 1
Celestina 1
Christianna 1
Clara 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Elizbeth 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Hanah 1
Hannah 1
Hariett 1
Henrietta 1
Janet 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
Margt.R. 1
Marrion 1
May 1
Rebecca 1
Sophia 1
Sussan 1
Williams 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 10
William 10
John 7
Thomas 7
George 5
Henry 5
Albert 3
Francis 3
Joseph 3
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
David 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Adolphus 1
Alf. 1
Alfred 1
Angelo 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Ed. 1
Elizabeth 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
J.A. 1
Jabez 1
Jos. 1
Nelson 1
Richard 1
Saml. 1
Thos.L. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Nicols surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nicols surname in 1881?

In 1881, 186 people were recorded with the Nicols surname. That placed it at #13,448 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nicols surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016. That gives Nicols a modern rank of #31,358.

What does the Nicols surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Germanic surname Nikolaus, derived from the Greek name Nikolaos meaning "victory of the people".

What does the Nicols map show?

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