Find out how popular the last name Nicol is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Nicol.

Nicol, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Nicol surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nicol in America

Nicol is the 6729th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nicol surname appeared 5,012 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Nicol.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nicol to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Nicol

The surname NICOL originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the medieval personal name Nigel, which comes from the Latin name Nigellus, meaning "little black one" or "dark-complexioned." The name was brought to Britain by the Normans after the conquest of England in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name NICOL can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Nicol" and "Nichol" in various entries throughout the document.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the name NICOL was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Lowlands and Borders regions. It was often associated with landowners and individuals of some prominence. For example, Sir William Nicol (c. 1280 - 1340) was a Scottish knight and landowner who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 15th century, the name NICOL was also found in other parts of Scotland, such as Aberdeenshire and Fife. One notable bearer of the name was Alexander Nicol (c. 1430 - 1493), a Scottish clergyman who served as the Bishop of Galloway from 1484 until his death.

As the name spread across Scotland, various spellings and variations emerged, including Nichol, Nicholl, Nicholson, and Nicolson. Some of these variations were derived from place names, such as Nicholston (now Neilston) in Renfrewshire.

Other notable individuals with the surname NICOL throughout history include:

1. William Nicol (1768 - 1851), a Scottish natural philosopher and inventor, best known for his invention of the Nicol prism used in polarizing light.
2. Erskine Nicol (1825 - 1904), a Scottish-born Australian artist and pioneer of the arts in Victoria, Australia.
3. John Nicol (1833 - 1894), a Scottish-born Australian politician and member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.
4. William Nicol (1851 - 1929), a Scottish-born Australian politician and member of the Parliament of New South Wales.
5. John Nicol (1865 - 1921), a Scottish professional golfer and one of the pioneers of the professional game.

The surname NICOL has a rich history rooted in medieval Scotland and has been carried across the world by Scottish emigrants and their descendants over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nicol

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Nicol.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Nicol was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Nicol has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Nicol was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Nicol, please contact us.

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