Nickerson
A surname usually understood as “son of Nick,” shaped by English and French nickname forms of Nicholas.
The #2,283 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 19,333 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Most 19th-century surname writers treat Nickerson as a patronymic built on Nick, the familiar short form of Nicholas. The first element goes back ultimately to Greek Nikolaos, meaning “victory of the people,” while the -erson ending marks descent, as in “son of.” Some older authorities also explain it as a variant or corruption of Nicholson, which points to the same Nicholas-based source.
History
The name is recorded in English surname collections in several spelling forms, including Nickerson, Nickinson, and Nickisson. In North America, Nickerson became especially established in New England, where it survives as the best-known modern form. Historical writers differ a little on whether it came directly from Nick + son or through Nicholson, but both routes lead back to Nicholas.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Early surname books note French-looking parallels such as Nicquin, showing how nicknames for Nicholas could cross languages and pick up different suffixes.
From the historical record
“NICKERSON, a connipt form of Nickinson and Nicholson, q.v. NICKIN =i Nick (q.v.) + the Fr. dim. suff. -in. The French form is Nicquin. NiCKINS, Nickin's (Son) NICKINSON 1 Nickin's Son NICKISSON J ^^ICKINS bON”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)