Nickel Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Nickel last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Nickel last name
Meaning of the Nickel last name: little Nikolaus. Nickel is a German surname from a pet form of Nikolaus, Nicholas, common in Silesia and eastern Germany. The metal nickel takes its name from Kupfernickel, a miners' word for a tricky ore, using the same pet name for a goblin. Related last names include Nickels and Nicolai.
Arms associated with the Nickel name
Coats of arms associated with the Nickel name follow the German heraldic style of simple shapes and few colours, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Nickel family history
This is only a glimpse of the Nickel story. The full Nickel history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Nickel coat of arms. Get the full Nickel report.
Nickel name FAQ
What does the Nickel name mean?
Little Nikolaus. Common variants include Nickels, Nikolaus.
Where does the Nickel surname come from?
It originates in Germany, and is also found in the United States, Austria and Switzerland.
Is there a Nickel coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Nickel coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Duden Familiennamen; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).