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Nicholson Family History

Nicholson Name Meaning

English (northern) and Scottish: patronymic from the Middle English personal name Nic(h)olas or the vernacular form Nic(h)ol + son; see Nichol Nicholas . In Scotland the name was sometimes substituted for McNichol . Americanized form of Danish Norwegian and North German Nicolaisen or Nikolaisen or of the Swedish cognate Niklasson patronymics from equivalents of the personal name Nicholas .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Nicolson, Nichols, Nickelson, Colson, Nichelson, Nicholes, Nichol

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Nicholson family from?

You can see how Nicholson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Nicholson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Nicholson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 4,791 Nicholson families living in Yorkshire. This was about 25% of all the recorded Nicholson's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Nicholson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nicholson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Nicholson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Nicholson. 9% of Nicholson men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Nicholson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Nicholson were Builders Labourer and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Nicholson | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Farmer
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    2%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Nicholson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 635,000 census records available for the last name Nicholson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nicholson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Nicholson

Passenger Lists

There are 88,000 immigration records available for the last name Nicholson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Nicholson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 83,000 military records available for the last name Nicholson. For the veterans among your Nicholson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Nicholson military records

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What is the average Nicholson lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Nicholson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Nicholson in 1941 was 52, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Nicholson

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