The Nicholson Family Name

Some records give Nichols; others give Nicholson. Both point to the same English family name. Nicholson is built on the same root as Nichols, with the ending -on. The name is generally explained as “Son of Nichol (Nicholas)”. Regional accents shaped spellings long before dictionaries fixed them.

The same family of names includes Nicholls and Nickolls.

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Nichols surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. For the full story, order the Nicholson surname pack.