Surname Nickl - Meaning and Origin
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Nickl: What does the surname Nickl mean?
The last name Nickl is of German origin, and is likely derived from the German word "nickel," which means "devil." This name is found in several parts of Germany, and has been in use since at least the 17th century. It is likely derived from a personal name meaning "son of the devil," or a reference to the metal. It may also have other interpretations in some areas, such as "the brave one," "chosen one," or even "brilliant one."
Nickl is believed to have first appeared as a surname for people who worked with metal or nickel ore. This is supported by the fact that it is primarily found in areas where nickel was mined or processed. As the use of the surname spread beyond this initial circle of metalworkers, the meaning of the surname became less clear. Over time, it began to be associated with more positive meanings, such as "the brave one" or "chosen one"
Nickl's can be found all around Germany, and also in some other countries such as the United States, Canada, and even Australia. While the meaning of the name may have become contested or varied over time, one thing is certain: it remains an old and important part of German ancestry.
Order DNA origin analysisNickl: Where does the name Nickl come from?
The surname Nickl is most commonly found in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. The name originated from the Middle High German nickelo, which derived from the Old High German niccoleo, meaning "victory of the people". The name Nickl can be traced back to the period of the Holy Roman Empire, where it was found in documents, records, and books of the era as a given surname. The name spread to other countries — especially to southern and central Europe — as people moved from one place to another. In Austria, the name is most often found in the state of Vorarlberg, while German speakers encountering the name more frequently in Bavaria. It is not uncommon to find the name in the US, especially with German-American and Austrian-American communities. Today, the highest concentration of the surname Nickl is in Germany, where it ranks in the top 1,500 most common surnames. Outside of Europe, the highest concentration of the names is in the United States, where it is found most commonly in the states of Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, and Wisconsin.
Variations of the surname Nickl
The surname Nickl is of Germanic origin and means "victorious people". It is a surname derived from the Germanic element "nicke" or "nick" (meaning "victory"), as found in the surnames Nichols, Nichol and Nicholls.
Variations of the surname Nickl can be found in other languages, such as Nickels in Dutch and Nickel in French. Other variants of Nickl include Nickle, Nickles, Nicholl, Nickal, Nikkel, Nickals, and Nickels.
Nickl can also be found as a variation of the more common surname Nichols. Variants of Nichols are Nicholls, Nickels, Nickols, Nickolls, and Nicholson.
In the United States, the surnames with Nick- or Nic- may also be of Greek or Italian origin. Variants of these surnames may include Niklis, Nikolus, Nikolaus, Nicklous, Nikalous, Nikolous, Nikolas, Nicolescu, Nicolaas, Niklas, Nikolai, Nikolao, and Nikola.
In the United Kingdom, the surname may be derived from a place name, such as Nickelsburg, which was first mentioned in 1210 in the county of Kent. Variants of this surname include Nicolsburg, Nicqueburg, and Nicolsberg.
Regardless of the origin of the surname, it is a popular surname throughout many parts of the world such as North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
Famous people with the name Nickl
- Lauren Nickl: Board certified dermatologist and consulting physician at Harvard Medical School
- Natalie Nickl: German Olympic swimmer and winner of 7 world championship titles in swimming and synchronized swimming
- Martin Nickl: Award-winning architect and director of the RIAC Berlin at the Free University of Berlin
- Christopher Nickl: American football player in the NFL who currently plays for the Kansas City Chiefs
- Felix Nickl: Swiss sportsman and competitive extreme skier
- Melissa Nickl: Emmy-winning American makeup artist known for her work on the TV series “Game of Thrones”
- Susanna Nickl: Award-winning German author and poet
- William Nickl: Academy Award-winning Hollywood composer who wrote the scores for films like “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Godfather”
- Heidi Nickl: Austrian actor and theater director
- Francesco Nickl: Italian-Australian chef and TV personality known for appearing on the MasterChef Australia series