Nicholls
A patronymic surname meaning “son of Nicholas.”
The #6,010 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 53,958 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Nicholls is a patronymic surname formed from the personal name Nicholas, with the ending -s indicating descent or association. Nicholas ultimately comes from Greek Nikolaos, meaning “victory of the people.” In older records the name appears in several spellings, including Nichol, Nicholl, Nicolls, and Nicholson.
History
Lower specifically treats Nicholls as a surname derived from Nicholas and notes that many families are found in Northumberland and Cumberland. He also suggests a possible connection with the Anglo-Norman family of Fitz-Nigell or Nicholl, reflecting older ideas about the name’s spread in England. The surname has long been established in Britain and later appears in English-speaking countries more widely.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same root that gives Nicholls also lies behind Nicholas itself: from Greek, it literally combines “victory” and “people.”
From the historical record
“themselves Contes de Nichole. NICHOLLS. See Nicholas. NICHOLSON. The son of Nicholas. Most families of this name trace to the counties of Northumberland aud Cumber- land. It is not improbable that they are descended from the great Anglo-Norman family of Fitz-Nigell or Nicholl. See Ni- choll. NICKEL. See NIchol.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom