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

Dickinson, 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 Dickinson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dickinson in America

Dickinson is the 1324th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dickinson surname appeared 26,607 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Dickinson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dickinson 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 Dickinson

The surname Dickinson is of English origin, derived from the medieval occupational name "Diccon", a diminutive of the personal name "Dick", itself a pet form of "Richard". The suffix "-son" denotes "son of", indicating that the name originated as a patronymic, referring to the son of someone named Dick or Richard.

The earliest recorded instances of the Dickinson surname date back to the late 12th century in various counties across England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Dycunson, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199.

In the 13th century, the Dickinson name appeared in several historical records, such as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled as "Dikynessone". The name was also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, recorded as "Dykenessone".

The Dickinsons were prominent landowners and influential figures in various parts of England during the medieval and early modern periods. One notable Dickinson was John Dickinson (1576-1647), an English Puritan minister and theologian who played a significant role in the Westminster Assembly.

Another distinguished bearer of the name was Jonathan Dickinson (1663-1722), a Quaker merchant and the first president of the College of New Jersey, now known as Princeton University. He was born in Massachusetts and played a crucial role in the establishment of higher education in colonial America.

In the literary realm, Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), the renowned American poet, is undoubtedly one of the most famous individuals with the Dickinson surname. Her innovative poetic style and reclusive lifestyle have made her one of the most influential figures in American literature.

Other notable Dickinsons include John Dickinson (1732-1808), a founding father and one of the most prominent statesmen of the American Revolution, and Angie Dickinson (born 1931), an American actress known for her roles in films such as "Rio Bravo" and "Dressed to Kill".

The Dickinson surname has continued to be prominent throughout history, with bearers making significant contributions in various fields, including politics, education, literature, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dickinson

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

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

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

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