English
The surname Nichol is of English and French origin. It is a diminutive of the given name Nicholas. The given name is derived from the post-classical Greek personal name 'Nikolaos', composed of the elements 'nike' victory and 'laos' people. The spelling with the -ch- first occured as early as the twelfth century, and became firmly established at the time of the Reformation. Saint Nicholas was a fourth century bishop of Myra in Lycia, about whom nothing factual is known, although a vast body of legend grew up around him. He was venerated in the Orthodox Church as well as the Catholic church.He became the patron saint of Russia and Greece, as well as of children, sailors, merchants, and pawnbrokers. His feast day is the sixth of December, and among the many roles which legend has assiged to him is that of bringer of Christmas presents, in the guise of 'Santa Claus'; which is an alteration of the Dutch form of the name, 'Sinterklaas'. The normal Middle English vernacular form of the name was Nicol.The name dates as far back as the tenth century were a Nicolaus is recorded in historical archives. The name was brought to America by English immigrants. One of the first fore fathers to bring this name to America is that of a James Nichols, a silver caster, who came to America aboard the William; he settled in Carolina. This name is the one hundredth and eighty-fifth most common surname in America.