Surname Spotlight: Nicol

In census returns, Nicol often stands in for Nicole.

What does the surname Nicol mean?

Taken at its root, Nicol points to “Victory of the people”. 5,012 Americans were listed as Nicol in the 2010 census. From 1891 to 2000, 6,430 births in France were registered under Nicol.

How is Nicol related to Nicole?

Nicol drops the “e” of Nicole, a simplification that clerks often made. Local scribes, dialects and emigration all left their mark on how the name was written.

Does every Nicol family have a crest?

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Nicole surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon.

Want more than a summary? See the Nicol family name pack.