Nikolaus History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Early Origins of the Nikolaus family

The surname Nikolaus was first found in Austria, where the family was anciently associated with the political and religious conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. The family founded numerous branches, many of which acquired manors and estates in surrounding regions, where they contributed to the prosperity of their society. The name refers to St. Nickolaus, the patron saint of seafaring merchants and the protector of children.

Early History of the Nikolaus family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nikolaus research. Another 117 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1330, 1339, 1402, 1417, 1809 and 1947 are included under the topic Early Nikolaus History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nikolaus Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Nikolaus include Nicholas, Nickelas, Nicholaus, Nicolaus, Nicolas, Nichlas, Nicklas, Niclas, Niklas, Nikolaus, Nikelaus, Nickelaus, Nickolaus and many more.

Early Notables of the Nikolaus family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Nikolaus were

Nikolaus von der Fluee (1417-87), who was a Swiss hermit, and was canonized in 1947...
Nikolaus von Jeroschin was a priest of the Teutonic Order...
Nikolaus von Landau was a Cistercian monk of Otterberg Abbey near Kaiserslautern in the Palatinate...

Nikolaus migration to the United States +

Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Nikolaus or a variant listed above:

Nikolaus Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joh Christ Nikolaus, who arrived in America in 1807 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Nikolaus (post 1700) +

Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel (1777-1826), German-born, Dutch inventor of the metronome
Gustav Nikolaus Tiedemann (1808-1849), German soldier who joined the revolutionaries during the Revolutions of 1848 in Germany, becoming the commander of the last holdout of the revolution, the fortress at Rastatt, son of Friedrich Tiedemann
Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse (1787-1867), German gunsmith
Georg Nikolaus von Nissen, Danish diplomat and writer
Nikolaus von Himsel, German physician, founder of the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation in 1773
Nikolaus Müller- Weihrich, German actor, known for Wie war ich, Doris?(1999), Sex & More (2005) and Trautes Heim (2002)
Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin (1727-1817), scientist, particularly in botany
Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin (1727-1817), Baron Nikolaus von Jacquin, Cutch-born, scientist who studied medicine, chemistry and botany
Nikolaus Michalek (b. 1940), Austrian politician, Minister of Justice from 1990–2000
Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1929-2016), Austrian conductor

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)