Surname Nuckols - Meaning and Origin

Nuckols: What does the surname Nuckols mean?

The surname Nuckols is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hnocc" meaning "hill top" and "oll" as a diminutive suffix. Thus, it could potentially signify a person who lived on or near a small hill. It is also believed that Nuckols may have geographic connections to places named Knockholt in County Kent or Knook in County Wiltshire in England. Like many surnames, Nuckols may have originally been created as a way to more specifically identify individuals by their location, occupation, or ancestor's names. Please note that surname origins can be difficult to trace definitively due to changes in spelling and usage throughout history.

Nuckols: Where does the name Nuckols come from?

The surname Nuckols is most commonly found in the United States, although there are also instances of it in Ireland, England, Canada, and Australia.

In the U.S., the greatest concentration of the Nuckols surname is in the southern states of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The highest concentration of Nuckols in the U.S. can be found in Roanoke, Virginia; Clark County, Kentucky; Monroe County, Tennessee; and Hamilton County, North Carolina.

Nuckols is a relatively common name in America. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2020 there were an estimated 15,000 individuals with the Nuckols surname living in the United States. Furthermore, the World Names Profiler estimates that at least 33,800 citizens of the U.S. have the surname Nuckols.

The regions with the largest population of Nuckols are in the south of the United States. This makes sense because the Nuckols family can be traced to the colonial era of America, when many European families moved to the southern states in pursuit of a better life.

Outside of America, there are only a few instances of the Nuckols name. In Ireland, the name is found mostly in Dublin, Cork, and Kerry. British instances of the name are primarily found in Yorkshire, Durham, and Lancashire. Canada's largest concentration of the name is in Ontario, while Australia sees its greatest concentration in Sydney and Melbourne.

Variations of the surname Nuckols

The surname Nuckols is derived from the Old English given name Nicul or Nichol, which is a masculine name meaning “victory of the people”. Variants of the surname Nuckols include Nicols, Nichols, Nickel, Nickols, Nickells, Nuckles, Nickelson, Nickle, and Nickerson. Other spellings include Nuckels, Nuckells, Neuckols, Nuckols, Nyckols, and Nucleus.

Surnames related to the name Nuckols include Noble, Nobles, Noblet, Noblett, Noblin, Noel, Noell, Nocell, Noe, Nohle, Nohles, Nolan, Nolen, and Noelle. These surnames share a similar derivation, usually based on the Latin phrase “nobilis”, meaning “noble”.

There are a number of other surnames that are derived from the given name Nicul, including Nicholay, Nicholas, Nick, Nicolai, Nicolier, Nicoletti, Nicoll, Nicolson, Nicklin, Nicklaus, Nickles, Nickolay, Nicolich, and Nicholls.

The surname Nuckols is also found in some other countries, such as Germany, where it is spelled Nucken. Nucken is derived from the German word “Nucken”, meaning “little one”. In Scotland, the surname is spelled Nuckell and is derived from the Gaelic “nicill”, which means “victory”.

No matter how it is spelled, the surname Nuckols is a notable one with strong roots in English and German history. It is also a reminder of the lasting impact that the common given name Nicul had on the development of many surnames and family lines around the world.

Famous people with the name Nuckols

• Martie Maguire: one of the four members of the country music group, Dixie Chicks
• Edward (Ed) Nuckols: retired major league baseball player
• Mackenzie Nuckols: American actor and singer, best known for playing Tripp in the Johnny and the Sprites musical television series
• Robert M. Nuckols Jr.: retired US Air Force General and former Commander of the US Air Force Expeditionary Center
• Jordan Nuckols: NFL fullback for the Dallas Cowboys
• Thomas Nuckols: American football coach and former player who served as the head coach at Virginia Union University
• Joe Nuckols: former professional baseball pitcher
• Charles Nuckols: former professional American football cornerback
• Sheryl Nuckols: American author and media producer
• Peggy Nuckols: American artist and fiber artist

Other surnames

NuckolesNuckolls