Explore the Family Name Nicol
The meaning of Nicol
1. Scottish: variant of Nichol. 2. Breton (rarely Le Nicol), French, and German: from a shortened form of a personal name, Breton and French Nicolas, German Nikolaus (see Nicholas). 3. In some cases also an American shortened (and altered) form of Greek Nikolas, its variant Nicolas, or of any of various derivatives of the personal name Nikola(o)s ‘Nicholas’, including Nikolis (see Nicoli). Compare Nichol and Nicola.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Nicol in the United States?
According to the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Nicol decreased slightly between 2000 and 2010. It dropped in rank from 6454 in 2000 to 6729 in 2010, marking a change of -4.26%. Despite this drop in ranking, the number of individuals bearing the surname increased by 3.34%, rising from 4850 in 2000 to 5012 in 2010. However, when considering the proportion per 100k people, there was a decrease from 1.8 in 2000 to 1.7 in 2010, indicating a -5.56% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,454 | #6,729 | -4.26% |
| Count | 4,850 | 5,012 | 3.34% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.8 | 1.7 | -5.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Nicol
The Decennial U.S. Census data also sheds light on the ethnic identities associated with the Nicol surname. The highest percentage, both in 2000 and 2010, is linked to White ethnicity, although it saw a slight decrease over the decade from 91.94% to 90.08%. The Hispanic population with this surname experienced the most significant growth, increasing by 51.94% from 2.06% in 2000 to 3.13% in 2010. There was also noteworthy growth within the Black community bearing the Nicol surname, with a 25.26% increase from 2.85% in 2000 to 3.57% in 2010. The Asian/Pacific Islander group showed an uptick too, increasing from 0.72% to 0.86%. Conversely, the proportion of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by 10.53%, while the percentage of individuals identifying with two or more races remained virtually unchanged.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.94% | 90.08% | -2.02% |
| Black | 2.85% | 3.57% | 25.26% |
| Hispanic | 2.06% | 3.13% | 51.94% |
| Two or More Races | 1.67% | 1.68% | 0.6% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.72% | 0.86% | 19.44% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.76% | 0.68% | -10.53% |
Nicol ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Nicol is British & Irish, which comprises 58.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.1%) and Scandinavian (4.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.1% |
| French & German | 19.1% |
| Scandinavian | 4.5% |
| Other | 18.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Nicol
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Nicol have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 84.20% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 83.70% |
What Nicol haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Nicol is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z381 and E-V13, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hughes, Paterson, Patterson, Thomson, Morris, Morgan, Evans, Nicholson, Mcdonald, Shaw.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Nicol surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Nicol have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Nicol" Surname 47.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Nicol" Surname 32.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Nicol" Surname 23.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Cat Allergy
An allergic reaction to cats, characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and difficulty breathing.
"Nicol" Surname 41.7%
23andMe Users 36.7%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Nicol?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Nicol are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition