Surname Nicholl - Meaning and Origin
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Nicholl: What does the surname Nicholl mean?
The surname Nicholl, predominantly found in Scotland and Ireland, is derived from the given name Nicholas, a personal name of Greek origin meaning 'victory people'. The name Nicholas was popularized by Saint Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra who is more commonly known as Santa Claus. During the Middle Ages, it was popular to give children names associated with popular saints in the hope the child would enjoy that saint's patronage, this led to the widespread use of the name. The surname Nicholl might also be an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Nichil meaning 'son of Nicholas'. It is a patronymic surname, which are based on the first name of a patriarch. This means it would have originally been used in a medieval naming system for distinguishing between different men with the same first name. It is possible to find different spellings of the same original surname, including Nicholls, Nichols, Nickel, Nickle, Nickles, Nichol, Nicol, Niccolls, and Nuckles, among others.
Order DNA origin analysisNicholl: Where does the name Nicholl come from?
The last name Nicholl is most commonly found today in England, Ireland, and Scotland. It is quite rare in other parts of the world.
Nicholl is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name, and belongs to the category of patronymic or baptismal surnames, which were derived from the personal name of the father of the original bearer. The name Nicholl is derived from the Christian name Nicholas. The original Nicholas was a popular saint in Ancient Greece, and his name spread throughout Europe during the time of the Crusader in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries.
In England, the rank of the surname Nicholl was the 170th most common surname during the reign of King Henry VIII of England (1509-1547). In Scotland, the last name Nicholl was the 88th most popular surname during the reign of King James IV of Scotland (1488-1513).
In Ireland, the last name Nicholl was first found in County Clare, where they were descended from the Norman FitzAlans, who were granted lands after the invasion of Ireland in 1170.
The Nicholls of Ireland, Scotland, and England today are a legacy of the original Normans who first brought the name to the British Isles. One of the most famous members of this family was John Nicholl, born in 1688, a famous British bookseller who established one of Britain's oldest surviving publishing houses.
Variations of the surname Nicholl
The surname Nicholl is of English origin and is a variant of Nicholls and Nichol. The name is derived from the Old French personal name Nicolas, meaning ‘people’s victory’.
Nicholls is a common variant of Nicholl, which is especially found in North America. It is an Anglicised spelling of the French-Norman name. It is also found as Nichols, Nichol, Nicholes, Nicole, Nicol and Nicholson.
Another variant of the spelling of Nicholl is Nicholes. This is a variant of Nicholls or Nichol which itself is a derivative of the French personal name Nicolas. The spelling Nicholes is especially found in the United States.
Nicholson is another variant of Nicholl which is especially found in Scotland and Ireland. Nicholson is a patronymic surname which means ‘son of Nicholas’. The spelling is derived from the medieval given name Nicolas.
Nicbrand, Nichell, Nicholle and Nicholls are additional surnames derived from the surname Nicholl. Nicbrand is an Old English surname derived from the given name Nicholas, whereas Nichell and Nicholle are French derived names.
Nicco, Nickels, Nickols and Nikoles are other spellings of the surname Nicholl found in parts of Europe and the United States. Nicco is an Italian spelling of the name. Nickols is an equally common spelling found in North America. Lastly, Nikoles is a Greek surname derived from the given name Nicolas.
Famous people with the name Nicholl
- Julie Nicholls: An Australian actress who has gained recognition for her work in multiple projects such as McLeod’s Daughters, Neighbours and Looking for Alibrandi.
- Ryan Nicholl: A Canadian actor who has had roles in shows such as Supernatural, iZombie and How to be Indie.
- Rebecca Nicholl: An acclaimed Australian actress who has starred in Home and Away and Mr. & Mrs. Murder.
- Chris Nicholl: Former English footballer and manager, who had roles in clubs such as Southampton and Aston Villa.
- Alison Nicholl: Canadian actress known for her roles in television series On the Path and Camelot.
- Brynn Nicholl: Canadian actress best known for her roles in shows such as Boardwalk and Call Me Fitz.
- Emily Nicholl: Canadian actress, director and writer, best known for her work in the films Parts per Billion and A = B.
- Sean Nicholl: Canadian actor who was part of the cast of the hit show Queer as Folk.
- Adam Nicholl: Canadian singer and songwriter, most notably for his work in the albums Walk My Freedom and Let It Live.
- Ally Nicholl: Canadian actress and filmmaker who is known for her work on the television series Travellers and the documentaries Inner Distance: Poet as Pilgrim and Intimate Partners.