NICHOLL
Origin of the surname Nicholl can be traced to the Greek personal name Nikolaos, meaning “victory of the people.” The name was adapted into the vernacular as Nicol in Middle English, and subsequently formed a patronymic surname signifying “son of Nicholas.” It entered the British Isles during the early medieval period and has long since become associated with Scotland, Ireland and England.
In Scotland and Ireland the name is understood to derive directly from the Christian name Nicholas, popularised by the 4th‑century Bishop of Myra whose cult spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages. Irish usage may in addition have been influenced by the Gaelic form Mac Nichil, literally “son of Nicholas,” thereby providing another avenue for the same patronymic construction.
English occurrences of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a certain Nicolaus is recorded. The first distinctly English spelling of the family name is that of Waleram Nicholai dated 1198 in the Curia Regis Rolls of Suffolk during the reign of King Richard I.
Through the 13th and 14th centuries the name appears in administrative documents such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire (1273) and the 1296 Scottish homage record, indicating a presence among both English and Scottish populations. By the Tudor period the surname was common enough to appear within the top two hundred surnames of England and Scotland, and it maintained a relatively high frequency in Ireland, particularly in County Clare where Norman descendants of the FitzAlans incorporated the name into the local geneaology.
The surname has numerous orthographic variants that arise from regional pronunciation and the influence of French and Old English spelling traditions. Notable variations include Nicholls, Nickels, Nickle, Nickles, Nicol, Niccolls and Nuckles. Each variant preserves the essential patronymic reference to the personal name Nicholas while reflecting local linguistic habits.
Among the most historically celebrated bearers of the name are the Scottish scholars John Pringle Nichol (regius professor of astronomy at Glasgow University, 1836) and his son John Nichol (appointed professor of English language and literature at Glasgow in 1862 by Queen Victoria). Another prominent figure is John Nicholl (born 1688), a renowned British bookseller who founded one of the oldest surviving publishing houses in the United Kingdom.
Today the surname Nicholl remains predominantly concentrated within the British Isles, with relatively few occurrences elsewhere. Its survival and continued use reflect the enduring legacy of early medieval naming practices that sought to preserve the memory of a revered saint and the familial connection to one’s patriarch.
Typical given names associated with the Nicholl surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Anne
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Joanne
- Karen
- Loreen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Sharon
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Nichol
- Nicolson
- Nicholes
- Nicholls
- Nichols
- Nicholson
- Nickels
- Nickolls
- Nickoles
- Nickols
- Nicols
- Nicolle
- Nicoll
- Nicole
- Nicol
- Nicholas
- Nichell
- Nichola
- Nichoals
- Nicholaou
- Nicholais
- Nicholle
- Nichall
- Nicholau
- Nichold
- Nicholds
- Nichole
- Nicholeus
- Nicholies
- Nicholis
- Nichollas
- Nicholles
- Nichollis
- Nichollls
- Nicholos
- Nicholus
- Nichal
- Nichel
- Nichoels
- Nicholace
- Nicholass
- Nicholen
- Nicholess
- Nicholett
- Nicholias
- Nichollson
- Nicholsn
- Nichools
- Nickals
- Nickel
- Nickle
- Nicles
- Nikkel
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Nicholl in...
Braille
⠝⠊⠉⠓⠕⠇⠇
Morse
-...-.-.....---.-...-..
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Nicholl are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Rich Tea.
There are approximately 2,349 people named Nicholl in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,687th most common surname in Britain. Around 36 in a million people in Britain are named Nicholl.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Nicholl
- Jimmy Nicholl - Northern Irish football player and manager
- Chris Nicholl - Northern Irish football player and manager
- Charles Nicholl - Historian and writer
- Don Nicholl - American screenwriter and producer (1925 to 1980)
- Terry Nicholl - Football player and manager
- Kenneth Nicholl - Cricketer (1885 to 1952)
- Charles Nicholl - Welsh rugby union player (1870 to 1939)
- John Iltyd Nicholl - Welsh politician and MP for Cardiff (1797 to 1853)
- John Nicholl - Politician (1759 to 1838)
- David Nicholl - Welsh rugby union player (1871 to 1918)
- Sam Nicholl - American baseball player (1869 to 1937)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.