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

Dickey, 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 Dickey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dickey in America

Dickey is the 1542nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dickey surname appeared 23,320 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Dickey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dickey 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 Dickey

The surname Dickey has its origins in England and Scotland, where it emerged as a diminutive form of the personal name Richard. The name is derived from the Old German "Richard," which means "brave ruler." It is believed to have been introduced to Britain by the Normans after their conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1195 as "Dicki." This spelling variation reflects the common practice of transforming the ending of a name to create a diminutive or nickname.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Dickey surname was found in various parts of England and Scotland. In the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, a person named William Dyke was recorded. This spelling variation highlights the diverse forms the name took over time.

The Dickey surname has a rich history, with several notable individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries. One of the earliest recorded examples is John Dickey, a Scottish minister born in 1670 who served as the first moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

Another prominent figure was James Dickey, an American poet and novelist born in 1923 and died in 1997, renowned for his work "Deliverance." James Dickey's literary contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.

In the realm of sports, Glenn Dickey, an American sportswriter and columnist born in 1928, made a significant impact. He covered various sporting events, including the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Athletics, for several decades.

The Dickey surname has also been associated with place names, such as Dickey County in North Dakota, which was named after James Dickey, a prominent local politician in the late 19th century.

Another notable individual was Adam Dickey, an American politician and lawyer born in 1776, who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee from 1833 to 1837.

While the origins of the Dickey surname can be traced back to England and Scotland, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dickey

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

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 Dickey 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 Dickey 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 Dickey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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