Show ContentsNichols History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Nichols Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Nichols

What does the name Nichols mean?

Nichols is one of the names carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is based on the given name Nicholas. Nicholas derives from the Greek Nikolaos, which is made up of the words nikan, meaning to conquer, and laos, meaning people. 1

Early Origins of the Nichols family

The surname Nichols was first found in Cheshire, where Nicholas D'Albini, who was of the junior line of the Dukes of D'Albini in Normandy, settled in 1054, and his successor William became Baron of Malpas. Waleram Nicholai was listed in Suffolk in 1198 and Nicholaus was listed in Lincolnshire in 1147-1166. 1 By the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the name was scattered as seen by: William filius Nicoll in Shropshire; and John Nicole and Stephen Nichole in Oxfordshire. 2

Some of the family were anciently found in the parish of St. Kew, Cornwall. "Trewane or Trewarne in this parish, was formerly a seat of the Nicholls family. The heiress of Nicholls, whose mother was a daughter of Sir Joseph Tredenham of Tregonan in St. Ewe, married Nicholas Glynn, Esq. and dying in 1771 without surviving issue, bequeathed her mansion and barton of Trewane to Thomas Glynn, Esq. of the borough of Helston." 3

Continuing our quest for family in Cornwall, we found this interesting geneological record: "Trereife [in the parish of Madern] has been the family estate of the Nicholls's from time immemorial. Dr. Nicholls, physician to George II. who opened the body of the king for the purpose of ascertaining the cause of his death, which he described in a paper addressed to the Royal Society, was second son of John Nicholls. This family intermarried with the families of Godolphin and Foote. William John Godolphin Nicholls, Esq. the last survivor of the elder branch of the family, died May 9, 1815, and bequeathed all his estates to his mother." 3

Early History of the Nichols family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nichols research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1307, 1500, 1542, 1550, 1555, 1559, 1584, 1587, 1589, 1590, 1616, 1619, 1624, 1630, 1640, 1642, 1648, 1658, 1664, 1668, 1672, 1673, 1678, 1681, 1683, 1687, 1699, 1712, 1727, 1756, 1778, 1779, 1818, 1850 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Nichols History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nichols Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Nicholl, Niccolls, Nichel, Nichol, Nicholls, Nichols, Nickel, Nickle, Nickles, Nicolls, Nicol, Nycol, Nuckles and many more.

Early Notables of the Nichols family

  • Blessed George Nichols (c. 1550-1589), an English Catholic martyr
  • Jonathan Nichols (1681-1727), 20th Deputy Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (1727)

Nichols World Ranking

the United States, the name Nichols is the 153rd most popular surname with an estimated 149,220 people with that name. 4 However, in Canada, the name Nichols is ranked the 848th most popular surname with an estimated 6,317 people with that name. 5 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Nichols is the 729th popular surname with an estimated 59 people with that name. 6 Australia ranks Nichols as 440th with 8,567 people. 7 New Zealand ranks Nichols as 938th with 794 people. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Nichols as 663rd with 9,907 people. 9

Migration of the Nichols family to Ireland

Some of the Nichols family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 130 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nichols migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Nichols or a variant listed above:

Nichols Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Nichols, who immigrated to Virginia in 1607
  • Roger Nichols, who landed in Virginia in 1635 11
  • Walter Nichols, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 11
  • Francis Nichols, who arrived in Connecticut in 1639 11
  • Fr Nichols, who landed in Virginia in 1641 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Nichols Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Frances Nichols, who arrived in Virginia in 1713 11
  • John Nichols, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 11
  • Clement Nichols, who arrived in New England in 1714 11
  • Thomas Nichols, who landed in Virginia in 1715 11
  • Emanuel Nichols, who arrived in America in 1760-1763 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Nichols Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James A Nichols, who landed in America in 1804 11
  • John Nichols, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1831 11
  • Mr. John Nichols, (b. 1810), aged 22, British settler departing from Plymouth aboard the ship "Andromeda" arriving in the United States on 10th May 1832 12
  • William Nichols, who landed in New York in 1834 11
  • Mr. T. Nichols, (b. 1816), aged 32, Cornish miner departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Mountaineer" arriving in the United States on 29th May 1848 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Nichols migration to Canada +

Nichols Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • William Nichols, who settled in Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland in 1708 13
  • Mary Nichols, who arrived in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1722 13
  • Joseph Nichols, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Thomas Nichols, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Ruth Nichols, who arrived in New Brunswick in 1783
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Nichols Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mary Nichols, who immigrated to Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in 1827 13
  • Jonathan G Nichols, who landed in Canada in 1828
  • Daniel Nichols, who arrived in Canada in 1831
  • Mr. Nichols, aged 30, a shoemaker, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Sarah" from Bristol, England
  • Mrs. Nichols, aged 30, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Sarah" from Bristol, England

Nichols migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet
  • Mr. Isaac Nichols, (Nicholls), (1770 - 1819), aged 20, British farmer convicted in Wiltshire, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Admiral Barrington" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 10
Following the Second Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Nichols Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Nichols migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Nichols Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. W. Nichols, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th May 1853 18
  • Mr. George Nichols, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Nourmahal" arriving in Dunedin, Otaga, South Island, New Zealand on 5th May 1858 19
  • Mrs. Nichols, British settler travelling from London with 2 sons and 3 daughters aboard the ship "Nourmahal" arriving in Dunedin, Otaga, South Island, New Zealand on 5th May 1858 19
  • Mr. William Nichols, (b. 1856), aged 7, Cornish settler departing on 20th October 1863 aboard the ship "Tiptree" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 20th January 1864, travelling with William and Sarah Clarke 20
  • Miss C. Nichols, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Wild Duck" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 20th December 1867 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Nichols (post 1700) +

  • William Lee "Billy" Nichols (1940-2025), American guitarist and soul songwriter from Carrollton, Mississippi, best known for as the writer of "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)", a number two Billboard Hot 100 hit
  • Rodney Lea Nichols (1964-2025), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1988 to 1995 with the Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves
  • Roger Stewart Nichols (1940-2025), American Grammy Award nominated composer and songwriter, best known for his work with The Carpenters, Three Dog Night, Art Garfunkel and Barbra Streisand
  • Clinton Nolan Nichols (1944-2024), American politician from the state of West Virginia, served as a Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates (1993-1996), a farmer and printer, owned the Elk Printing Company and the Clay County Free Press for nearly 40 years
  • Nichelle Nichols (1932-2022), born Grace Dell Nichols, an American actress, singer and voice artist best known as the communications officer Lieutenant Uhura aboard the USS Enterprise in the popular Star Trek television series
  • Richard Nichols (1926-2019), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Kansas 5th District, 1991-93 21
  • Don Nichols (1924-2017), American U.S. Army combat veteran, founder and former principal of the Shadow CanAm and Formula One racing team
  • J. Hugh Nichols (1930-2015), American politician, County Executive of Howard County, Maryland (1978-1986)
  • Brigadier-General Harold Floyd Nichols (1888-1983), American Assistant Chief of Staff (G-1), 6th Army (1946-1947) 22
  • ... (Another 189 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Arrow Air Flight 1285
  • Mr. Richard Sidney Nichols (1950-1985), American Sergeant from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 23
  • Mr. Francis Roy Nichols (1923-1941), Australian Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class from Elderslie, Tasmania, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 24
  • Mr. Thomas F Nichols (b. 1920), English Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from London, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 25
  • Wilfred Nichols, British Able Seaman with the Royal Fleet Reserve aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 26
  • Arthur Hill Nichols (1904-1939), British Shipwright 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 27
  • ... (Another 11 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Nichols Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fide sed cui vide
Motto Translation: Trust, but in whom take care.
  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  6. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  7. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  8. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  9. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  10. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  11. 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)
  12. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
  13. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  14. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1822
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/exmouth
  16. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
  17. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HENY PORCHER 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838HenryPorcher.htm
  18. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  19. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  20. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
  21. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  22. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Harold Nichols. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Nichols/Harold_Floyd/USA.html
  23. American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
  24. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  25. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  26. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html

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