Building a genealogy or family tree obviously begins with a surname. But do you know where your last name came from? For those trying to trace their family back many centuries, do you know how your name was spelled two, three, or five centuries ago? While it may not be possible to know precisely why you have your last name, understanding the various ways your ancestors may have spelled their surname could go a long way to helping you trace your family tree back generations-and it may even provide surprising information regarding your family's ethnic background.
Practically every great civilization in history has found organization in the family-whether it is the small nuclear family of the present, or the larger multigenerational clans of earlier times. The pedigrees and lines of succession used by royal families today are just one way that people keep track of their personal, local, ethnic or national story. It is almost natural that people have some kind of curiosity regarding their origins, and when people undertake the pursuit of genealogy, they soon find how interrelated they are to the larger nations and ethnic groups from which they descend. No one should take too much pride in the uniqueness of their ancestry at some point, since nearly everyone has royals and commoners, famous and obscure ancestors and relatives in their family tree-it is just a question of whether you can prove the connection.
This book is a small, but important record of the Nichols family, in an effort to aid beginning genealogists in their hunt for ancestors. From the feudal period to seventeenth century Britain and the settling of North America, to the Revolution and Civil War, members of the Nichols family have played a part in the history of Western Europe and the United States.
Ryan Jordan received a BA in History from UCLA (1998) and a Ph.D. in History from Princeton (2004). He has taught at Lafayette College, the University of California- San Diego, the University of San Diego, and National University.