Find out how popular the last name Dickens is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Dickens.

Dickens, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Dickens surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dickens in America

Dickens is the 1990th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dickens surname appeared 18,123 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Dickens.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dickens to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Dickens

The surname DICKENS is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a patronymic surname, derived from the male given name Richard, which was a popular name among the Normans after the conquest of England in 1066. The name Richard itself is believed to have come from the Germanic words "ric" meaning "ruler" and "hard" meaning "brave" or "hardy".

The earliest known spelling variations of the surname DICKENS include Dykkyn, Dikken, Diken, and Dykyn, which can be found in various records dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. These early spellings suggest that the name may have originally been a nickname or diminutive form of Richard, such as "Dickon" or "Dicken".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DICKENS can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, dated 1296, where a certain John Diken is mentioned. Another early record is from the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which lists a William Dykkyn.

The surname DICKENS is also associated with various place names in England, such as Dickens Heath in Solihull and Dickens Lane in Poynton, Cheshire. These place names likely originated from individuals or families bearing the surname DICKENS who once lived or owned land in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname DICKENS, including:

1. Geoffrey Dickens (c. 1449 - 1521), an English clergyman and diplomat who served as the Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry VII.

2. John Dickens (1785 - 1851), the father of the famous author Charles Dickens, who worked as a clerk in the Navy Pay Office.

3. Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870), the renowned English novelist known for works such as "Oliver Twist," "A Christmas Carol," and "Great Expectations."

4. Walter Dexter Dickens (1846 - 1916), an English-born Australian politician who served as the 15th Premier of Queensland.

5. Monica Dickens (1915 - 1992), a British novelist and great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens, best known for her autobiographical works and stories of nursing during World War II.

The surname DICKENS has a rich history that can be traced back to the medieval period in England. While its origins are rooted in the given name Richard, the surname has evolved and been associated with various place names and notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dickens

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Dickens.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Dickens was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Dickens has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Dickens was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Dickens, please contact us.

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