Type Surname (from location)

Meaning & History

Created by Charles Dickens for the title character in his novel Nicholas Nickleby (1839). He probably based it on Nicol, a medieval vernacular form of Nicholas, with the common English place name suffix -by, which is derived from Old Norse býr meaning "farm, settlement".

Related Names

RootsNicol + býr

Categories

Entry added April 25, 2021