Surname Nicholas - Meaning and Origin
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Unveiling the Viking Lineage: A DNA Journey Through the Nicholas Surname History
Taking an iGENEA DNA test opened up a new chapter in my family history, unveiling the rich legacy behind my surname, Nicholas. By exploring links, it traced my paternal lineage back to Scandinavia, suggesting a Viking heritage resonating in the echoes of the past.
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read moreNicholas: What does the surname Nicholas mean?
The surname Nicholas is derived from the Greek personal name Nicholaos, which means "victory of the people". It has two constituent parts - "nike", which means victory, and "laos", which means people. The name Nicholas came into usage during the Middle Ages owing to the popularity of the saint by the same name, Saint Nicholas, who is the patron saint of children, merchants, and sailors, among others. Due to its strong religious connotations, it became frequently used in Christian communities. It is common in various forms in different countries such as Nicholson in England and Scotland, Nicolao in Italy, and Nikolaidis in Greece. Variations of surnames are often a result of regional dialect and pronunciation differences. Today, it is still a popular surname throughout many English-speaking countries.
Order DNA origin analysisNicholas: Where does the name Nicholas come from?
The last name Nicholas is most commonly found in English-speaking countries. It is particularly common in the United States, where it ranks as the 123rd most popular name nationwide. It is even more prevalent in a number of states, including New Jersey, where it is the 10th most popular last name. Other states where Nicholas is especially common are New York (27th), Michigan (58th), Massachusetts (62nd), California (73rd), and Pennsylvania (93rd).
The distribution of the last name Nicholas is also particularly strong across Canada, where it is the 60th most popular surname. In the United Kingdom, Nicholas ranks as the 111th most popular surname. It is also present in Australia and New Zealand, where it is listed as the 86th and 32nd most common last name, respectively.
The last name Nicholas is thought to have ancient roots in Greece, with some scholars suggesting it is derived from the ancient Greek name ‘Nikolaos’, which consists of two words meaning ‘victory’ and ‘people’. Records also indicate that early spellings of the name included Nichol, Nicol, Nichols, Nicholls, and even Nicolle. It is likely that the last name Nicholas has spread around the world from its roots in Greece.
Variations of the surname Nicholas
The surname Nicholas is derived from the male given name Nicolas, which is itself derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning ‘champion of the people’. This surname is commonly found in English-speaking countries with the variant forms Niclaus, Nicholais, Nickels, Nichols, Nicholson, Nicolet, Nicolson, Nicolas, and so forth.
In many countries, Nicholas has been altered through regional and dialectic influences. For instance, in Scotland, Nickson is a common form of the surname, as well as Nicken or Nuckin in Ireland. In France, various forms of Nicholas have been adopted, including Nicolas, Nicole, Nicolier, Nicoulin, and Nicolleau.
Similarly, other languages have adopted further variants of the name. In Greece, it is evolved into Nikolau, Nikolaki, Nikali or Nikallel while in Germany it has transformed into Niklas, Nikollaus, and Nickel.
In Eastern Europe, various forms of the name are common, including Nikolay in Russia and the Ukraine, Nikolaj in Denmark, Niklasz in Hungary and Nikolov in Bulgaria. Lastly, in Spain and Portugal, there is Nicolás, Nicomedes, Coelho, among other forms.
To sum up, around the world, the surname Nicholas has evolved into numerous variation of its derivative, Nicolas, with each language and culture embracing its own unique spellings, variants and surnames.
Famous people with the name Nicholas
- St Nicholas: Patron Saint of Russia, Greece, Rusyn, and Children
- Nicholas Cage: Hollywood actor
- Susanna Nicholas: British actress
- Nicholas Lea: Canadian actor
- Nicholas Hoult: English actor
- Nicholas Brendon: American actor
- Nicholas Hammond: American actor
- Nicholas Gonzalez: American actor
- Nicholas Pinnock: English actor
- Nicholas Coombe: Canadian actor
- Nicholas Aaron: English actor
- Nicholas Tse: Hong Kong actor and singer
- Nicholas Galitzine: English actor
- Nicholas Clay: English actor
- Nicholas Hoult: English actor
- Nicholas Bishop: Australian actor
- Nicholas Hormann: American actor
- Nicholas Hamilton: English actor
- Nicholas Stoller: American director, producer and screenwriter
- Nicholas Parsons: English actor, game show host and radio presenter