Nickens
A surname usually taken as a patronymic form of Nick, originally meaning “son or descendant of Nick.”
The #9,940 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 95,116 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Nickens is most likely an English surname built from the personal name Nick, a short form of Nicholas, with a genitive or patronymic ending. In effect, it means “Nick’s family” or “descendant of Nick.” The final -s is common in English surnames of this type, and the name may have arisen independently in more than one place.
History
As with many English surnames formed from a familiar given name, Nickens probably began as an identifying family label before becoming hereditary. It is found in the United States, especially in records of English-derived family names, and may reflect later spelling stabilization of an older spoken surname. Some bearers may also descend from variants with similar sound and structure, such as Nickens, Nickins, or Nickens-like forms recorded in local documents.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it comes from a pet form of Nicholas, Nickens ultimately shares a distant root with the name of Saint Nicholas and the modern name Nicholas.