Hi Linda,
The surname "Nicken", an Algonkian abbreviation, was first recorded in 1709. By that time there were three bloodlines, all of which would over the next 20 years come to be named Nicken. Only two of these lines were Nickens by blood. A fourth line of white Nickens (or Holmes ) was born to the white widow of Edward Yockonhawken, a.k.a. Edward Nicken (1693-1735). Historians have combined all of these bloodlines into one "super" family. For my own purposes I have divided the Nickens families into four lines - A, B, C, & D. Your line, my line, and the line of Tennessee Melungeon Nickens all represent the "B" line. The "B" line has three branches. Your people are from the 1st and 2nd branches of the "B" line. I am of the 3rd. Your line ia a Chowanoke-Meherrin- Nansemond-Tuscarora grouping. Ours is a Patawomeke-Pamunkey/Catawba- Rappahannock-lower Cherokee grouping. The 17th and 18th century Gypsy had strong affinity for Indian populations. There is strong genealogical evidense for either one or two genetic lines of Gypsy ancestry in your group. These families are well documented, being styled as "Free African Americans".

James Nickens