Clan Nicolson is a Scottish clan.

History

Scottish clans are family groups and thus Nicholson is a surname. The majority of the Nicolsons can claim descent from MacNicol and thus MacLeod and thus from Leod himself. Leod was a son of Olaf, King of Man and Northern Isles. Leod was the first chief and gave the patronymic McLeod or MacLeod meaning "sons of Leod".

However, some believe that the name Nicholson derives from the Norse Christian name Olsen and 'Nic', which means "daughter of" in Gaelic. Still others believe that it could be an adaption of Nicolassen, Haakon, the last Norse king to attempt an invasion of Scotland, sent a war party to Scotland under Anders Nicolassen and tradition says that he settled in Scotland after the Viking defeat at the Battle of Largs in 1263 and the Treaty of Perth in 1266. The Nicolson clan chief of that line is said to have died in 1340, leaving no sons.

Motto

• Generositate ("by Generosity")

Septs of Clan Nicolson

• Nichols(on)