Surname Nickell - Meaning and Origin

Nickell: What does the surname Nickell mean?

The last name Nickell is of Scottish origin. The Nickell name is derived from the Gaelic word “knickle” or “nickel”, which was originally used to refer to individuals with a light or fair complexion. The clan of Nickell was first found on Scotland's scenic Argyll peninsula. In the 17th century, it had spread to other areas of Scotland such as Aberdeenshire, Stirlingshire, and Perthshire. Nickells were typically involved in a variety of occupations ranging from agricultural to industrial pursuits.

The Nickell name has taken many forms throughout the generations. Variations include MacNichol, McNicol, Nichill, Nicholas and Nicols. During the 19th century, some families chose to Anglicize the name to Nickell. Today, there are members of the Nickell family all over the world.

The Nickell clan was known to be adventurous, capable, and resilient. Representatives were important shipbuilders and leading military officers. They participated in the clearance of the Scottish Highlands at the close of the 18th century as well as the emigration of Highlanders to the United States and Canada in the early 19th century. These determined individuals sought a better life for their families. Thanks to their hard work and ingenuity, the Nickell name lives on.

Nickell: Where does the name Nickell come from?

The last name Nickell is most commonly found in the United States today. It is predominantly found in the states of Oklahoma, Texas and Kentucky, with smaller populations in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas and Indiana.

Other states with notable populations include Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Wisconsin. Most of the Nickell’s living in these states are descended from the original family that settled in Oklahoma in the late 19th century. According to the US Census for 2019, there are over 8,000 individuals with the surname Nickell currently living in the United States.

It is also possible to find people bearing the Nickell surname internationally, potential descendants of North Americans who have emigrated in recent decades. Reports claim there are Nickell’s in Canada, Mexico, Germany, Australia, Spain and the UK, as well as other parts of the world.

The origin of the surname is most likely Anglo-Saxon, with the first Nickells born in Britain in the late 17th century. Over time the name spread across the US, and by 1880 several members of the family had already settled in many of the states mentioned earlier.

Variations of the surname Nickell

The surname Nickell is believed to come from the name Nicholas. This particular name, often found primarily in English-speaking countries, has several variants, spellings, and surnames associated with it. Variants of the Ambrose surname can often be found spelled Nickell, Nickel, or Nichol.

The original variants of this surname were derived from the name Nicholas, as well as other variants such as Nicolas and Nicomede. Common English spellings are Nickell, Nickel, Nichol, Nicolls, Nicholson, and Nicholls. Variants in other languages vary even more. The French version is usually spelled Nicolle, while the Italian version is often spelled Nicoli.

The associated surnames of Nickell include Newkirk, Niccolai, Nix, Nickles, Nicolet, Niculescu, and Nickes. Common surnames related to Nickell can also include McNickle, Niccolo, Nicola, Nicolaides, Nikolov, Nikolyuk, and Nickelson.

Given the vast variety of variants, spellings, and surnames associated with the name Nickell, many individuals can be associated with the name whether their surnames is spelled Nickell or some other way.

Famous people with the name Nickell

• John Nickell (actor)
• Ely Nickell (actor and writer)
• Clay Nickell (guitarist and songwriter)
• David Nickell (script supervisor and production coordinator on films such as Batman Begins, Magic Mike XXL, and Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse)
• Caroline Nickell (actress and producer)
• Rich Nickell (former National Football League linebacker)
• E. J. Nickell (author, screenwriter)
• Joseph Lee Nickell (veteran and chemist, discoverer of the Noble gas Krypton)
• Kendra Nickell (Olympic diver)
• Justin Nickell (soccer player)
• John Nickell (cinematographer, special effects supervisor on films such as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)
• Lawrence Nickell (actor)
• David Nickell (United States Marine Corps veteran, 1982 graduate of the University of South Carolina and 1983 graduate of the University of Arizona College of Law)
• Jane Nickell (doctor and former director of quality services at Providence Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina)
• Joe Nickell (author, paranormal investigator, former contributing editor for Skeptical Inquirer magazine)
• Doug Nickell (actor, producer, and former director of the Atlanta Screenwriters Conference)
• Curtis Nickell (actor, producer, writer, and production manager for several award-winning independent films)
• Brad Nickell (accomplished jazz, blues, and gospel vocalist)
• Marlene Nickell (award-winning performing artist)
• Jon Nickell (baseball pitcher)

Other surnames

NickelNickelatNickeleNickeleitNickellsNickelmannNickelsNickelsenNickelsonNickeltNickenNickensNickerlNickerson