The Family name of NICHOLASS explained:
THE NAME: NICHOLASS
The English surname Nicholass is patronymic in origin, that is, it is one of those surnames that is based on the first name of a father.
In this instance, the surname simply means "son of Nicholas", being derived from the Latin "Nicholaus", meaning "peoples victory".
It would seem that the surname was very common in medieval times and this is shown by the numerous forms of the name that existed, including its diminutives and pet forms. The vernacular form was Nicol and the feminine form of Nichola was also quite common. A son of somebody called Nichol could be written Nichols or Nicholson, thereby giving rise to other diminutives. In versions of the name such as Nickerless, I would suggest that not all "Scribes" new how to spell. The sexton of a church, for instance, relied upon the owner of any name knowing how to spell it..
Early references to the surname date back as far as the eleventh century and the name Nicolaus is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1084-86. Some other early references include, John Filius Nicholai who appeared in the hundred rolls for Shropshire in 1273 and also William Nicholas from Bedfordshire who was recorded in the "Catalougue of Ancient Deeds" in 1311. (Filius, in this case, means "son of" and John's name could just have easily have been written John Nicholass).
Some later references in the surname include Humphrey Nicholas who was recorded in the "Register for the University of Oxford" in 1585 and also Robert Nicholas, son of Thomas Nicholas, baptised in 1730 (Register for Saint James' Clerkenwell London.
There are sixteen instances of the surname in the "London Commercial and Court Directory" of 1870 and thirty-four in the "Philadelphia Directory of 1885 One John Nicholas, a band-master, sailed from Bristol to New England in 1662, evidence of the early existence of the surname in America.
There are overy thirty variants of the surname including - Nicklas, Niccols, Nickels and Nicolls.
The following arms were awarded in 1649 to Sir Edward Nicholas, Secretary to Charles II (King of England at the time).
BLAZON OF ARMS: Argent, on a fesse sable between three ravens proper as many lions rampant of the first
CREST: A raven, wings elevated sable, perched on the battlements of a low argent.
MOTTO: Semper fidelis (Always faithful).
ORIGIN: ENGLAND.
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