Origins of the Nicholson surname

What does the name Nicholson mean?

The origin of the Nicholson Surname is English and Scottish. It's a patronymic name, given to those who were the son or descendant of a person named Nicholas, Nicol or Nichol (the latter two being frequent medieval diminutive versions of the first name). It's mostly found in the North of England and Scottish border counties.

Alternative variations of the name Nicholson

Nicholson, Nichollson, Nicolson, Nickolson, Nichelson

Start free trial
“
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Nicholsons.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Nicholson family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 4362North West 1508Isle of Man 37Yorkshire 3992East Midlands 854West Midlands 157East 541London 3618South East 915South West 191South Wales 50Mid Wales 19West Wales 3North Wales 44Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Nicholsons lived in north-east

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

41,000 Nicholson Travel & migration records
210,000 Nicholsons found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Nicholson

How common is your surname?

159th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Nicholson surname. The oldest one dates back to 1264.

Who were Nicholsons most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Nicholsons.

What are the most common Nicholson first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Nicholson family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Nicholsons

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common female occupations for Nicholsons in 1921

Dressmaker

1,010

Domestic Servant

513

General Servant Domestic

470

Living On Own Means

447

House Servant

431

Common male occupations for Nicholsons in 1921

Coal Miner

1,448

Farmer

673

Tailor

622

General Labourer

614

Joiner

607

We found over 350,000 family trees with the Nicholson surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Nicholsons.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Nicholson family members

How rare is your surname?

Have you ever wondered if your family na...

The rise and fall of these disappearing British surnames

Could your surname be on the brink of di...

English surnames explained: The seven types of last names you should know

Ever wondered where our last names come...

How to find the maiden names of women in your family tree

Try these simple tricks to pinpoint your...

4 simple steps to starting your family history journey

Starting your family history journey is...

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search