NameCensus.

UK surname

Nikolova

A surname of Bulgarian origin meaning "son of Nikola/Nicholas".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Thames, Newham and Waltham Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nikolova is 444 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

444

2016, ranked #10,905

Peak year

2016

444 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 444 in 2016, ranked #10,905.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Nikolova surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nikolova surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nikolova 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
1997 modern 3 #38,317
1998 modern 3 #38,304
1999 modern 5 #37,872
2000 modern 4 #38,004
2001 modern 6 #37,456
2002 modern 7 #37,379
2003 modern 12 #36,715
2004 modern 18 #36,245
2005 modern 33 #35,119
2006 modern 36 #35,131
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 118 #26,212
2009 modern 146 #23,352
2010 modern 179 #20,886
2011 modern 203 #19,098
2012 modern 311 #14,173
2013 modern 358 #12,952
2014 modern 394 #12,144
2015 modern 422 #11,409
2016 modern 444 #10,905

Geography

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Where Nikolovas 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 Kingston upon Thames, Newham, Waltham Forest, Westminster and Brent. 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 Kingston upon Thames 006 Kingston upon Thames
2 Newham 032 Newham
3 Waltham Forest 014 Waltham Forest
4 Westminster 014 Westminster
5 Brent 014 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nikolova

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nikolova

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Nikolova surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Nikolova 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 often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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, Nikolova 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

Nikolova 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

Nikolova 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 Nikolova is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Nikolova

The surname Nikolova originates from Bulgaria and is derived from the Slavic root name Nikola, which is the Bulgarian form of the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning "victory of the people." The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 10th century in the First Bulgarian Empire.

In the Middle Ages, the name Nikolova was commonly found among the Bulgarian nobility and aristocracy. Some notable bearers of this surname include Ivan Nikolov (1292-1364), a prominent military commander during the reign of Tsar Ivan Alexander, and Petrana Nikolova (1410-1478), a noblewoman and landowner in the region of Vidin.

The Nikolova name also appears in various historical records and manuscripts from the Ottoman period in Bulgaria (14th-19th centuries). For instance, the Rila Monastery archives mention a certain Stoyan Nikolov who donated land to the monastery in the 16th century.

During the Bulgarian National Revival period (18th-19th centuries), the Nikolova surname gained prominence among the educated classes and revolutionaries fighting for Bulgarian independence. Vasil Nikolov Levski (1837-1873), one of the most revered national heroes and a key figure in the struggle against Ottoman rule, bore this surname.

Another notable bearer of the Nikolova name was Nadezhda Nikolova (1856-1938), a pioneering educator and women's rights activist who established the first Bulgarian girls' school in Stara Zagora.

In the 20th century, the Nikolova surname continued to be associated with influential figures in various fields. For example, Vera Nikolova (1912-1998) was a renowned Bulgarian opera singer, while Lyudmila Nikolova (1936-2021) was a celebrated basketball player and Olympic medalist.

The name Nikolova has also been linked to several place names in Bulgaria, such as the village of Nikolovo in the Plovdiv region, which likely derived its name from an early settler bearing the Nikolova surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Nikolova surname: questions and answers

How common is the Nikolova surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 444 in 2016. That gives Nikolova a modern rank of #10,905.

What does the Nikolova surname mean?

A surname of Bulgarian origin meaning "son of Nikola/Nicholas".

What does the Nikolova map show?

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