The Nichols surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 145,584 people carried this name — #189 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 2,030 people counted. That is up 3% from 141,936 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Nichols surname

A surname transferred from the given name.

From Nichol, medieval vernacular form of the given name Nicholas + the patronymic suffix -s.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Nichols» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 102 people named Nichols live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Chubut.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Chubut 102

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

38 people named Nichols live in Switzerland.

They live in 6 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Geneva.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Geneva 10
Vaud 10
Zurich 6
Aargau 4
Lucerne 4
Schaffhausen 4

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 36 people named Nichols.

Most of them — 24 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 7 départements, most often Alpes-Maritimes.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 24
Alpes-Maritimes 3
Martinique 3
Paris 2
Eure 1
Sarthe 1
Seine-Maritime 1
Seine-Saint-Denis 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

58 people named Nichols is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 58

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Nichols was found among the farmers of 17 counties.

It was most frequent in Cornwall: 88 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 114. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Nicholls and Nichols.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cornwall 88
Northamptonshire 40
Essex 33
Wiltshire 31
Devon 28
Gloucestershire 27
Norfolk 26
Oxfordshire 20

And 9 more counties.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

713 families named Nichols, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 3,887 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 24 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 164
Connecticut 102
New York 81
North Carolina 76
New Hampshire 56
Vermont 53
Maryland 50
Virginia 31
Rhode Island 29
Pennsylvania 26
South Carolina 26
Maine 19

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 255 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Nichols in American newspapers,
1874–1912.

Newspaper page from Montgomery County Sentinel carrying the name Nichols
Montgomery County Sentinel 1874-06-19
Newspaper page from The Laurens Advertiser carrying the name Nichols
The Laurens Advertiser 1912-07-17
Newspaper page from Yorkville Enquirer carrying the name Nichols
Yorkville Enquirer 1912-07-19

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,147,722 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Nichols in Australian newspapers,
1800s–2000s.

87,474 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Nichols. The most, 13,636, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Northern Territory, at 6.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 29,563
Tasmania 20,180
Victoria 16,856
Queensland 8,984
Western Australia 6,241
South Australia 4,254
Northern Territory 732
ACT (Canberra) 531

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Nichols.

Who carried it

People named Nichols,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Nichols
    John Nichols 1745–1826 · writer
  • John Gough Nichols
    John Gough Nichols 1806–1873 · printer
  • John Gregg Nichols
    John Gregg Nichols 1813–1898 · politician
  • Abel Nichols
    Abel Nichols 1815–1860 · painter
  • Rebecca S. Nichols
    Rebecca S. Nichols 1819–1903 · writer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 200 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Nichols,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States11,889 records

11,889 records of the Nichols name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 5,028
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 2,247
  • Other U.S. records 4,614
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record McArthur Nichols

    Born 1942; from Durham, North Carolina. U.S. Army, infantryman; died of wounds 1966 in South Vietnam. Buried at Florence National Cemetery, South Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Charlie E. Nichols

    Born 1920 in Mississippi. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Benning, Georgia; cook from Escambia County, Florida. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Barrancas National Cemetery, Florida.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Annie Nichols

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Berlin from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 22; milliner. From Liverpool, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 11,889 records for Nichols in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia3,339 records

3,339 records of the Nichols name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 1,601
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,136
  • Other Australian records 602
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Henry Nichols

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Waterloo, sailing from Portsmouth in 1834. Native of Newington, Surrey. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1848.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Josiah Nichols

    Died 1894 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 72. Will registered in Tasmania in 1894.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record George Nichols

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Persian, aged 1; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 3,339 records for Nichols in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada1,038 records

1,038 records of the Nichols name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 882
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 40
  • Other Canadian records 116
  1. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Herbert Nichols

    Served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion in the First World War, private; of St. John, New Brunswick.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Nichols

    Came to Ontario in 1872 aboard the European, landing at Quebec, bound for Orangeville, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Rhose Nichols

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Commerce, bound for Spithead, aged 36.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 1,038 records for Nichols in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

United Kingdom74 records

74 records of the Nichols name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 43
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 28
  • Other British records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Nichols

    Died 1989, aged 75; buried at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Nichols

    Buried in 1804 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 49.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record James Nichols

    Will proved in 1935; of Briton Ferry.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 74 records for Nichols in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand16 records

16 records of the Nichols name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Nichols

    Buried in 1890 at Lyttelton Anglican Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury, aged 47.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Clifford Nichols

    Died 1969, aged 69; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Nichols

    Died 1931, aged 54; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 16 records for Nichols in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France10 records

10 records of the Nichols name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Gwyn Nichols

    Born 1922 in Argentina; died 1993 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Janine Emilie Nichols

    Born 1913 in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes); died 1991 in Clamart (Hauts-de-Seine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 10 records for Nichols in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands9 records

9 records of the Nichols name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 4
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Joseph Anthony Nichols

    In the population register of Co Durham (Gb); student, born 1913 in Co Durham (Gb).

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Homer G. Nichols

    Died 1931 in Rotterdam, aged 27.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 9 records for Nichols in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Nichols name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Rosetta Nichols

    Died 1930 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Germany1 record

1 record of the Nichols name in Germany German emigration and citizenship files
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Jean Nichols

    Naturalised in 1901.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg (CC0)

Counts: Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Nichols.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Nichols.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Nichols is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Nichols volume
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