Surname Dickenson - Meaning and Origin
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Dickenson: What does the surname Dickenson mean?
The last name Dickenson is believed to be of English origin. It is thought to come from the Middle English phrase dicken sunne, meaning "son of Dick". This could have been a personal name derived from an Old English name which meant "bold power", or even the name Richard.
The surname Dickenson was first used as a given name in England in the 12th century. It gradually spread throughout Europe and the United States as well. Records trace the first recorded use of the name Dickenson to one John Dickenson in 1282, in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire.
Dickenson could have also come from a place name, derived from the Old English words deorc, meaning “dark”, and tun, meaning “town” or “enclosed settlement”. It is possible that some families acquired the surname Dickenson from living in the hamlet of Dictun, near the town of Colchester in Essex county.
The most common spelling of the surname Dickenson today is Dickinson, although there are other variations of the name such as Dickison and Dickeson. This could be due to factors such as illiteracy and regional dialects. Today, the Dickenson surname is very common in the United States, with approximately 130,000 Americans in the 2000 US Census having it as their last name.
Order DNA origin analysisDickenson: Where does the name Dickenson come from?
The surname Dickenson is most commonly found in England today, though due to its relative rarity it is also found in other areas of the British Isles including Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. There is also a small presence of the surname in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States.
In England, the origin of this name lies mainly in the Yorkshire regions of the British Isles, where it is thought to be associated with Richard de Dikenso, Lord of Barnby Dun in 1379. There are further records in Yorkshire during the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as further records from Lancashire and Essex.
The surname Dickenson can also be traced back to different sources. It can be seen as an Anglicized version of the Irish/Gaelic name Mac Dickson, as well as its variant McDonnell. This is thought to be associated with the Irish branches of the MacDonnells, which was a very powerful clan in the 12th century.
Today, the surname is most commonly found in areas of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it is thought to be one of the most popular surnames in Yorkshire. It is also relatively common in the US, particularly in the states of Louisiana and Missouri, as well as in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Variations of the surname Dickenson
The variant spellings, alternate spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Dickenson include the following:
1. Dickenson – the most common spelling of this surname
2. Dickinson – often used interchangeably with Dickenson
3. Dikenson – one of the most popular alternate spellings
4. Dickson – similar to Dickinson and one of the more common surnames
5. Dixson – this spelling is slightly less common
6. Dickman – a variant spelling of Dickenson
7. Dicksonon – another old version of this surname
8. Dikonson – a variant spelling
9. Dicksonn – another variant
10. Dickens – a similar sounding surname, but not necessarily the same origin
11. Dickason – a variant spelling
12. Dixon – a less common variant
13. Dickin – another variant
14. Dickonson – yet another variant
The origin of the Dickenson surname is difficult to trace, as is often the case with English surnames due to multiple spellings and mutable spellings over time. It may have evolved from the nickname “dicker,” which was used to describe a person who bargained or haggled, or it may be derived from a Middle English personal name. Dickenson is just one of many surnames that covers a broad range of transliterations, most of which having the same origin.
Famous people with the name Dickenson
- Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), American poet
- P.F. Dickenson (1810-1865), British poet
- Rosemarie Dickenson (1931-2009), American singer
- David Dickenson (born 1963), Canadian football player and coach
- Robert Dickenson (born 1937), Australian cricketer
- Arthur Henry Dickenson (1840-1910), British meteorologist
- John Dickenson (1732-1808), American politician and Founding Father
- H.H. Dickenson (1868-1927), British Army officer and historian
- William Dickenson (1817-1904), English-born actor and entrepreneur
- Katherine Dickenson Florida (1927–2011), American advocate of people living with HIV/AIDS