Niccolls - Name

This is a very rare variant spelling of the ancient Greek personal name "Nicholas", a name which achieved great popularity in the period of the Crusades (11th to 14th Centuries), throughout Europe. The name translates as "Victory-people", a meaning which no doubt contributed to its massive popularity, over three hundred variations being recorded ranging from Nicoll, Nickless and Nicolass to, Nitzache, Mikulik and Miska". The patronymic forms include Nicholls, Nicolls, Nickall, Nickels and Niccolls, whilst examples of the recordings are Anna Nicolls who married Marke Speed at the Church of St. James, Duke Street, London on April 1st 1685, and Alice Niccolls who married one Thomas Best at All Hallows Church, London Wall, coincidentally in 1685, but on May 12th. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Dorathie Niccolls, which was dated June 15th 1619, married Andrewe Meddows at St. Vedast's, Foster Lane, London, during the reign of King James 1 of England and V1 of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.