Show ContentsNicklas History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Nicklas family

The surname Nicklas 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 Nicklas family

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

Nicklas 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 Nicklas include Nicholas, Nickelas, Nicholaus, Nicolaus, Nicolas, Nichlas, Nicklas, Niclas, Niklas, Nikolaus, Nikelaus, Nickelaus, Nickolaus and many more.

Early Notables of the Nicklas family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Nicklas 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. He wrote a life of St. Adalbert and a verse...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Nicklas Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nicklas Ranking

In the United States, the name Nicklas is the 12,997th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Nicklas 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 Nicklas or a variant listed above:

Nicklas Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Allen Nicklas, who landed in Maryland in 1673 2
Nicklas Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Johann Nicklas, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 2
  • Wilhelm Nicklas, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 2
  • Karl Nicklas, who arrived in America in 1867 2
  • George Nicklas, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1872 2
  • Aed Nicklas, who arrived in America in 1890 2


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)


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