Nicholson is a Germanic and Scottish surname. It is a

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, alt ...

form of the

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a ...

'' Nichol'', which was a common medieval form of ''

Nicholas Nicholas is a male given name and a surname. The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglican Churches celebrate Saint Nicholas every year on December 6, which is the name day for "Nicholas". In Greece, the name and its ...

''.

People with the surname

* Aideen Nicholson (1927–2019), Irish-born Canadian politician * A. J. Nicholson (born 1983), American football linebacker *

Alexander Malcolm Nicholson Alexander Malcolm "Sandy" Nicholson (November 25, 1900 – October 12, 1991) was a Canadian clergyman, farmer and politician. He was born in Lucknow, Ontario, the son of Alexander Nicholson and Isabelle MacDonald, and was educated in Lucknow and ...

(1900–1991), Canadian clergyman, farmer, and politician * Alfred O. P. Nicholson (1808–1876), United States Senator from Tennessee *

Alistair Nicholson Alistair "Big Jack" Nicholson (born 4 March 1978) is a former Australian rules footballer, who played with the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Nicholson was schooled at Scotch College, Perth, where he was scho ...

(born 1978), Australian rules footballer * Anne-Marie Nicholson (born 1991), English singer and songwriter known as Anne-Marie (singer) *

Archibald Keightley Nicholson Archibald Keightley Nicholson (1871–1937) was an English 20th century ecclesiastical stained-glass maker. His father was Charles Nicholson and his two brothers, Charles and Sydney, were a church architect and church musician, respectively. D ...

(1871–1937), British ecclesiastical stained-glass maker * Arthur D. Nicholson, (1947–1985) U.S. Army officer *

Asenath Nicholson Asenath Hatch Nicholson (February 24, 1792 – May 15, 1855) was an American vegan, social observer and philanthropist. She wrote at first hand about the Great Hunger in Ireland in the 1840s. She wrote about the life of Ireland both before and du ...

(1792–1855), American activist, writer and philanthropist * Barry Nicholson (born 1978), Scottish footballer *

Ben Nicholson Benjamin Lauder Nicholson, OM (10 April 1894 – 6 February 1982) was an English painter of abstract compositions (sometimes in low relief), landscape and still-life. Background and training Nicholson was born on 10 April 1894 in De ...

(1894–1982), English abstract painter (married to Winifred Nicholson) * Bill Nicholson (disambiguation), several people * Bob Nicholson (disambiguation), several people *

Bobby Nicholson Robert Albert Nicholson, also known as "Bobby Nicholson" and "Nick Nicholson" (April 29, 1918–September 23, 1993) was an American actor and musician. Biography Nicholson was a trombonist who played in big bands of the 1930s and 1940s. After ...

(1918–1993), American musician and actor *

Bruce Nicholson Bruce Nicholson is a special effects artist who received the Special Achievement Academy Award in 1980 for the visual effects of the film ''The Empire Strikes Back'', which he shared with Brian Johnson, Richard Edlund and Dennis Muren. He won his f ...

special effect Special effects (often abbreviated as SFX, F/X or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the theatre, film, television, video game, amusement park and simulator industries to simulate the imagined events in a story or virtual ...

s artist * Sir Charles Nicholson (1808–1903), British–Australian politician *

Sir Charles Nicholson, 2nd Baronet Sir Charles Archibald Nicholson, 2nd Baronet (27 April 1867 – 4 March 1949), was an English architect and designer who specialised in ecclesiastical buildings and war memorials. He carried out the refurbishments of several cathedrals, the desi ...

(1867–1949), British ecclesiastical architect *

Charles Ernest Nicholson Charles Ernest Nicholson (12 May 1868 – 26 February 1954) was a British yacht designer. Biography He was born in 1868, one of four sons and six daughters of Benjamin Nicholson (1828-1906), also a yacht designer, and the original Nicholson of ...

, (1868–1954) British yacht designer * Christopher Nicholson (1904–1948), British architect and designer * Claude Nicholson (1892–1951), Australian rugby league footballer of the 1910s * Claude Nicholson, (1898–1943) British Brigadier, in command of Calais during the Siege of Calais (1940) *

Danell Nicholson Danell Nicholson (born November 15, 1967) is a former American Olympian and a boxer in the heavyweight division. He held the IBO World Heavyweight title in 1994, and in 2003 challenged Wladimir Klitschko for the WBA Intercontinental Heavyweight ...

(born 1967), American boxer * David Nicholson (disambiguation), several people * Donald Nicholson (disambiguation), multiple people *

Donte Nicholson Donte Lamar Nicholson (born December 18, 1981, in Los Angeles, California) is a former American football safety who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2 ...

(born 1981), American NFL football player * Ed Nicholson (1923–1987), Canadian ice hockey player * Edward Nicholson (disambiguation), several people ** Edward Max Nicholson (1904–2003), founder of World Wildlife Fund ** Edward Williams Byron Nicholson, Bodley's Librarian * Eliza Jane Nicholson (1843–1896), American journalist * Elliot Nicholson (1871–1953), English rugby union player *

Emma Nicholson Emma Harriet Nicholson, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne (born 16 October 1941) is a British politician, who has been a life peer since 1997. She was elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Torridge and West Devon in 1987, bef ...

, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne (born 1941), British politician * Rev Ernest Nicholson (1938–2013), British biblical scholar * Francis Nicholson (1655–1727/8), British military officer and colonial governor * Francis Nicholson (painter) (1753–1844), British artist * Frank Nicholson (disambiguation), several people * Geoff Nicholson (born 1953), British novelist and short story writer *

George Nicholson (printer) George Nicholson (1760 – 1 November 1825) was an English printer, author, and vegetarianism advocate. Life Nicholson was born in Keighley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. Nicholson had started a printing business with his brother Geo ...

(1760–1825), British printer * George Nicholson (footballer), English footballer * Sir Godfrey Nicholson (1901–1991), British Conservative Party politician *

Grace Nicholson Grace Nicholson (December 31, 1877 – August 31, 1948) was an American art collector and art dealer, specializing in Native American and Chinese handicrafts. The space she originally designed for her shop is now home to the USC Pacific Asia Mu ...

(1877–1948), American art collector and art dealer * Harold James Nicholson (born 1950), CIA officer convicted of spying for Russia *

Henry Alleyne Nicholson Henry Alleyne Nicholson FRS FRSE FGS FLS (11 September 1844 – 19 January 1899) was a British palaeontologist and zoologist. Life The son of John Nicholson (1809–1886), a biblical scholar, and his wife Annie Elizabeth Waring, he was born ...

(1816–1878), British paleontologist and zoologist *

Howard Nicholson Howard Nicholson (1912–2014) was a British pulmonologist and pioneer in multidisciplinary care-planning and the treatment of tuberculosis with antibiotics. Biography Howard Nicholson began the study medicine at University College Hospital (UCH ...

(1912–2014), English physician * J. C. Nicholson (born 1942), American judge *

Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...

(born 1937), American actor * James W. Nicholson (1821–1887), U.S. Navy officer during Mexican–American War and Civil War *

Jim Nicholson (U.S. politician) Robert James Nicholson (born February 4, 1938) is an attorney, real estate developer, and a former Republican National Committee chairman. He was the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs from January 26, 2005, until October 1, 2007. P ...

(born 1938), United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs * Joe Nicholson (1898–1978), English footballer * John Nicholson (disambiguation), several people * Joseph Hopper Nicholson (1770–1817), American lawyer, jurist, and politician from Maryland * Joseph Shield Nicholson (1850–1927), English economist * Joyce Nicholson (1919–2011), Australian author * Julianne Nicholson (born 1971), American actress * Julie Nicholson, British author and former vicar * John

Kenyon Nicholson Kenyon Nicholson (May 21, 1894 – December 19, 1986) was an American playwright and screenwriter. Early life John Kenyon Nicholson was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, on May 21, 1894, the oldest son of Thomas B. and Anne (Kenyon) Nichols ...

, American playwright *

Ken Nicholson Ken Nicholson is a video game developer. Career Nicholson is a video game developer and Windows graphics pioneer. He was the founder of GamePC Consortium and inventor of the technology used by Microsoft as the basis for Windows' DirectX graph ...

, video game developer and Windows graphics pioneer * Kevin Nicholson (disambiguation), several people * Leonard Nicholson (1904–1983), tenth Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (1951–1959) * Lorna Schultz Nicholson, Canadian children's writer * Lorraine Nicholson, American actress, daughter of Jack Nicholson * Lawson Nicholson (1866–1947), Washington state pioneer, engineer, and surveyor *

Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson (January 7, 1890 – September 21, 1965) was an American pulp magazine writer and entrepreneur who pioneered the American comic book, publishing the first such periodical consisting solely of original material r ...

(1890–1965), American pulp magazine writer and comic book pioneer * Marjorie Nicholson (1914–1997), British activist * Matthew Nicholson (born 1974), Australian cricketer * Meredith Nicholson (1866–1947), American author and politician * Meredith Merle Nicholson (1913–2005), American cinematographer *

Michael Nicholson Michael Nicholson (9 January 1937 – 11 December 2016) was an English journalist, specializing in war reporting, and a newscaster. He was ITN's Senior Foreign Correspondent. Early life Nicholson was born in Romford, Essex, on 9 January 1937 ...

(1937–2016), English journalist *

Montae Nicholson Montae Nicholson (born December 4, 1995) is an American football free safety for the DC Defenders of the XFL. He played college football at Michigan State and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. H ...

(born 1995), American football player * Nancy Nicholson (1899–1977), British painter and fabric designer *

Natalie Nicholson Natalie Nicholson (born March 10, 1976 in Bemidji, Minnesota as Natalie Simenson) is an American curler. She is currently the coach of the Tabitha Peterson rink. Career As a junior curler, Nicholson played second for Risa O'Connell and represen ...

(born 1976), American curler * Neil Nicholson (cricketer), (English cricketer) * Nigel Nicholson, British psychologist * Norman Nicholson (1914–1987), English poet * Ossie Nicholson (1906–1965), Australian cyclist * Parson Nicholson (1863–1917), American Major League Baseball player *

Paul Nicholson (ice hockey) Peter John Paul Nicholson (February 16, 1954 – September 20, 2011) was a Canadian ice hockey Forward (ice hockey), forward. He played 62 games in the National Hockey Leaguefor the Washington Capitals from 1974 to 1976. He was selected in the 19 ...

(born 1954), Canadian ice hockey forward *

Paul Nicholson (industrialist) Sir Paul Douglas Nicholson, (born 7 March 1938) is an English industrialist and was Lord Lieutenant of County Durham from 1997 to 2013. Nicholson was born in County Durham and educated at Ludgrove School, Harrow School and Clare College, Cambr ...

(born 1938), British industrialist * Paul Nicholson (darts player) (born 1979), English-born Australian darts player *

Peter Nicholson (architect) Peter Nicholson (20 July 1765 – 18 June 1844) was a Scottish people, Scottish architect, mathematician and engineer. Largely self-taught, he was apprenticed to a cabinet-maker but soon abandoned his trade in favour of teaching and writing ...

(1765–1844), British architect, engineer and mathematician *

Peter Nicholson (cartoonist) Peter Nicholson (born 1946) is an Australian political cartoonist, caricaturist and sculptor. He has won five Walkley Awards. Nicholson has also produced animated political cartoons for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the TV series ...

(born 1946), Australian political cartoonist *

Ray Nicholson Ray Nicholson is an American actor. He appeared opposite Diane Kruger in the Neil LaBute film '' Out of the Blue'' (2022). On television, he appeared in the 2021 Amazon Prime Video series ''Panic''. Personal life Nicholson is the son of Jack ...

(born 1992), American actor *

Reginald Nicholson Reginald Nicholson (15 July 1869 – 27 April 1946) was an English Liberal Party politician. He was elected at the 1918 general election as a Coalition Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Doncaster in the West Riding of Yorkshire. He was ...

(1869–1946), English politician * Reginald F. Nicholson (1852–1939), United States Navy admiral *

Reynold A. Nicholson Reynold Alleyne Nicholson, FBA (18 August 1868 – 27 August 1945), or R. A. Nicholson, was an eminent English orientalist, scholar of both Islamic literature and Islamic mysticism and widely regarded as one of the greatest Rumi (Mevlana ...

(1868–1945), British orientalist * Richard Nicholson (composer) (c1570–1639), English composer *

Richard Nicholson (Paralympian) Richard Nicholson (born 30 June 1970) is an Australian Paralympic powerlifter and athlete. He has competed at five successive Paralympic Games from the 1996 to 2012 Summer Paralympics. At the 2000 Games, he won a silver medal in the powerlif ...

(dates unknown), Australian paralympics competitor * Rob Nicholson (musician) (born 1969), also known as "Blasko", American rock music performer * Rob Nicholson (born 1952), Canadian Member of Parliament * Robert Nicholson (disambiguation), several people **

Robert Nicholson (judge) Robert David Nicholson is an Australian judge. He served as a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia from 1995 to 2007, in the Court's Perth registry. Nicholson was admitted as a legal practitioner in 1960, and held the position of Justice of ...

, Australian jurist **

Robert Nicholson (Indian Army officer) Lieutenant-General Robert Nicholson (1745–1821) was a British military officer on the Bombay establishment, who briefly commanded forces there in 1800. Military career Robert Nicholson was the son of Alexander Nicholson and Mary Murray. In ...

(1745–1821), British military officer in Bombay ** Robert Nicholson (piper) (1798–1842), Northumbrian piper ** Robert B. Nicholson (1863–1917), businessman in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia * Roscoe Nicholson (1887–1959), American surveyor and conservationist *

Ross Nicholson Ross Nicholson (born 8 August 1975) is an association football goalkeeper who represented New Zealand at international level. He was born at Gisborne, New Zealand in 1975. International career Nicholson made his full All Whites debut as a s ...

(born 1975), New Zealand football goalkeeper * Roxie Nicholson (born 1950), U.S. Department of Labor welfare policy analyst * Russ Nicholson, British illustrator * Samuel Nicholson (disambiguation), several people * Seth Barnes Nicholson (1891–1963), American astronomer * Shane Nicholson (footballer) (born 1970), English footballer * Sharon Nicholson, American climatologist *

Simon Nicholson Simon Hepworth Nicholson (3 October 1934 – 17 January 1990) was a British painter and sculptor. He was the son of sculptor Barbara Hepworth and her second husband, artist Ben Nicholson. Nicholson attended Dartington Hall School before study ...

, British painter and sculptor *

Skonk Nicholson James Mervyn Nicholson (6 February 1917 – 27 February 2011), better known as Skonk Nicholson, was a rugby coach and school master at Maritzburg College. He is often credited with having trained large numbers of provincial and Springbok playe ...

(1917–2011), South African rugby coach * Stan Nicholson, rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s * Stuart Nicholson (1987), English footballer * Sir Sydney Nicholson (1875–1947), English choir directory, organist, composer, founder of the Royal College of Music * Thomas Nicholson, several people *

Tony Nicholson Anthony George Nicholson (25 June 1938 – 4 November 1985) was an English first-class cricketer, active 1962 to 1975, who played for Yorkshire as a right arm medium pace bowler and was a member of the club's five County Championship-winnin ...

(1938–1985), English cricketer * Viv Nicholson (1936–2015), British gambling winner and tabloid target * Wayne Nicholson, American biologist * William Nicholson (disambiguation), several people *

Winifred Nicholson ''From Bedroom Window, Bankshead'', date unknown, private collection. Typical of Nicholson's impressionist work, combining still life with landscape. Rosa Winifred Nicholson (née Roberts; 21 December 1893 – 5 March 1981) was a British p ...

(''née'' Roberts) (1893–1981), English painter (married to Ben Nicholson)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholson English-language surnames German-language surnames Patronymic surnames Surnames from given names