Surname Nicklaß - Meaning and Origin
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Nicklaß: What does the surname Nicklaß mean?
The last name Nicklaß is of German origin. It is derived from the personal name ‘Nikolas’, which was a very popular given name in the Middle Ages. It is a combination of two ancient Greek words – ‘nike’, which means ‘victory’, and ‘laos’, which means ‘people’ or ‘nation’. The literal interpretation of the name would be ‘people devoted to victory’.
Alternatively, the name could have come from a Middle High German word ‘nickelaß’, which means ‘son of the people’ and was also a reference to the idea of nobility. The Nicklaus variant of the original name is thought to be more closely associated with nobility, due to its additional ‘s’, suggesting a well-situated family.
Nicklaß is a common surname throughout many countries, such as Germany, Austria, Poland, and even South Africa. In the United States, the last name is found scattered across the country – from states such as New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, to California and Missouri. It is estimated that there are roughly 1,500Nicklaß households in the US.
Overall, the last name Nicklaß has a strong Germanic, and potentially even noble, origin. It has managed to span the globe, representing powerages of winning and solidarity, despite its humble beginnings.
Order DNA origin analysisNicklaß: Where does the name Nicklaß come from?
Nicklaß is a surname with strong German roots, however it can be found in countries across the world today.
In Europe, records show that the name is widely found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and some parts of Belgium. Records from the last two censuses in Germany suggest that over 12,000 people living in this country alone carry the name Nicklaß.
In the United States, individuals of this name are mainly concentrated in Californian cities like Los Angeles and San Diego, as these destinations provided the transition for numerous German families moving to America. However, Nicklaß can be found in other states too, such as Illinois and Ohio.
In the United Kingdom today the name is particularly noticeable in England, with more people coming from European countries into the country as part of the enlargement process of the European Union.
Other places where the surname can be found include Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru in South America, as well as Mauritius on the African continent, making Nicklaß one of the few names that is still a distinct part of world culture today.
Variations of the surname Nicklaß
The surname Nicklaß is derived from the German first name Nikolaus, meaning “victory of the people,” and is used throughout German-speaking countries. In addition to Nicklaß, variants of the surname include Nicklas, Nikolaus and Niklaus, as well as the more Anglicized versions Nicholas and Nichols, and the Dutch version Nicolaes.
Nicklaß can also appear as a spelling variation of the more common surname Nikols, which is a patronymic or metronymic form of the given name Nikolaus. Spelling variations of this form of the surname may include Nikolis, Nickel and Nikolisch. Variants of the Saxon and Prussian nose form Niklas may include Nikolay, Nikolai, Nicolay, Nicolai, Nickelay, and Nickelai.
Nicklaß can also morph into melodic forms of the given name Nikolaus including Niekols, Neukol, Niukes, Niekes, Nekes, Nekols,Nickels, Nicoless and Niklis. In addition, the surname means “son of the people,” so the given name Nikolay may also have been shortened to construction or occupational surnames such as Kolitz, Kolletz, Nicholas, Nicolai, Nikolaus, Niemeyer and Neufang. Some Slavic countries may also have adopted versions of the surname, including Nikolić, Nikolič, Nikolčev, Nikolich, Nikolits, Nikolich and Nikolajević.
Famous people with the name Nicklaß
- Nicklas Lidstrom: retired professional ice hockey player. He played for the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League for his entire 20-year career. He is widely considered to be one of the best Swedish players of all time and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.
- Nicolas Wayne Nicklaß: better known as Waylon Payne, is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and producer. He is best known for his contributions to the soundtrack of the film Walk the Line and for his album The Walking Wounded.
- Donte Nicklaß: is an American songwriter, singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He has been nominated for two Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Gospel Song of the Year and Best Gospel Album of the Year.
- Rainer Nicklaß: German music producer, vocalist and music video director. He has produced several UK chart-topping albums and written and co-written hit singles.
- Jürgen Nicklaß: legal professor and constitutional law specialist at the Free University Berlin.
- Marius Nicklaß: German former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder in the Bundesliga.
- Tolga Nicklaß: German swimmer. He won the gold medal in the synchronized swimming duet event at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
- Alexander, Christian & Fernando Nicklaß: a trio of identical triplets from Germany, known as the Nicklaß Brothers, who gained media attention due to their unique ability to speak in tandem.