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

Nicoll, 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 Nicoll surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nicoll in America

Nicoll is the 12421st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nicoll surname appeared 2,503 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Nicoll.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nicoll 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 Nicoll

The surname Nicoll has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the Middle Ages around the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Niocal," which is a variant of the more familiar "Nicol" or "Nicholas." The name ultimately traces its roots back to the Greek name "Nikolaos," meaning "victory of the people."

The earliest recorded instances of the Nicoll surname can be found in medieval Scottish charters and records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is a mention of a "Roger Nicoll" in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.

The Nicoll surname is closely associated with several regions in Scotland, particularly the counties of Aberdeenshire, Angus, and Fife. It is believed that the name may have originated in one of these areas, perhaps derived from a place name that has since been lost or obscured over time.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the Nicoll surname. One of the earliest was Sir John Nicoll, a Scottish nobleman who lived in the 15th century and served as the Lord of Spynie and Sheriff of Banff.

In the 16th century, Robert Nicoll (c. 1514-1596) was a prominent Scottish priest and scholar who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation and was known for his efforts to promote education and literacy.

Another notable figure was William Nicoll (1655-1727), a Scottish Episcopal minister who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld and later the Bishop of Carlisle. He was a respected theologian and author, known for his defense of the Episcopal Church against the growing influence of Presbyterianism.

In the 19th century, Robert Nicoll (1814-1837) was a Scottish poet and journalist who gained recognition for his works such as "Poems" and "The Memoirs of Adam Black." Despite his short life, he left a significant literary legacy and is considered one of the most influential Scottish poets of his time.

More recently, Allardyce Nicoll (1894-1976) was a renowned Scottish literary scholar and critic. He served as a professor of English literature at various universities, including the University of London and the University of Birmingham. Nicoll was widely respected for his contributions to the study of English drama and theater history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nicoll

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

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 Nicoll 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 Nicoll 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 Nicoll was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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