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

Dixson, 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 Dixson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dixson in America

Dixson is the 7748th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dixson surname appeared 4,285 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Dixson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dixson 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 Dixson

The surname DIXSON originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English personal name Dicca, which was a diminutive of the name Richard. The suffix '-son' was added to denote 'son of', meaning 'son of Dicca'.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name DIXSON dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as Dixsun. This suggests that the name was already established in England before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the 13th century, the name DIXSON was found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentioned a Roger Dixson. This indicates that the name had spread across different regions of England by this time.

During the 16th century, the DIXSON surname appeared in various parish records and tax rolls. One notable bearer of the name was Richard Dixson, a merchant who lived in London in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the DIXSON name was found in several historical records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of Yorkshire from 1672, which listed a John Dixson. This suggests that the name had established a presence in northern England.

One of the earliest recorded DIXSONs in America was Edward Dixson, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. He was among the early settlers of the British colonies in North America.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname DIXSON. These include:

1. William Dixson (1754-1826), an English architect known for designing several churches and public buildings in London.
2. John Dixson (1766-1842), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
3. Elizabeth Dixson (1843-1920), a American educator and suffragist who advocated for women's rights.
4. Henry Dixson (1892-1974), an Australian businessman and philanthropist who donated significant funds to the University of Sydney.
5. Robert Dixson (1919-2001), a British painter and sculptor known for his abstract expressionist works.

The DIXSON surname has experienced various spelling variations over the centuries, including Dixon, Dickson, and Dickinson, among others. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the Old English personal name Dicca and the patronymic suffix '-son'.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dixson

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

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

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

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