John Gough Nichols (1806–1873) was an English painter and antiquary, the third generation in a family publishing business with strong connection to learned antiquarianism.

The eldest son of John Bowyer Nichols, he was born at his father's house in Red Lion Passage, Fleet Street, London, on 22 May 1806.

He went to a school kept by a Miss Roper at Islington, where, in 1811, Benjamin Disraeli, his senior by eighteen months, was a schoolfellow.

He was one of the founders of the Camden Society (1838), and edited many of its publications; in 1862 he printed a Descriptive Catalogue of the 86 volumes then issued.

[1] Nichols superintended a new edition of John Hutchins's History of Dorset, undertaken by William Shipp in 1860.

[1] His works included:[1] Nichols contributed articles to the Archæologia of the Society of Antiquaries, 1831–73, vols.

In 1856 ill-health compelled him to resign its editorship, and it was transferred to John Henry Parker for a nominal consideration.

A portrait of Nichols at the age of twenty-four is contained in a family group in water-colours, by Daniel Maclise (1830).

A medallion, representing him and his wife, by Leonard Charles Wyon, was struck in commemoration of their silver wedding in 1868.