Vickers
An occupational surname referring to a person who made candlewicks, from the Old English word "weoce" meaning wick.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 25,775 Americans carry the last name Vickers. That puts it at #1,625 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 7.52 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 13,298 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vickers surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
26K
1 in 13,298
Census rank
#1,625
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
7.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
22K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 22,176 bearers of the surname Vickers in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 7.52 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1625th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vickers, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.1%. The next largest groups are Black (15.9%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vickers
The surname Vickers originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the ancient Anglo-Saxon word "fic", meaning a farm bailiff or keeper. It was an occupational surname given to someone who oversaw the land and livestock of a medieval estate or manor.
Vickers is believed to have first appeared in records as early as the 13th century, with various spellings such as Viker, Vyker, and Vykar being found in old manuscripts and records from that time. One of the earliest documented instances of the name is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1275, where a William le Viker is mentioned.
The name Vickers can be traced back to several areas within England, particularly the northern counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Westmorland, where the occupation of farm bailiff was common. Over time, as the name spread, it also became associated with certain place names, such as Vicar's Cross in Cheshire and Vicar's Hill in Hertfordshire.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England, there are no direct references to the surname Vickers. However, variations of the name, such as Vicar and Vikere, are listed, suggesting that the occupation and name were already in use at that time.
Notable historical figures with the surname Vickers include:
1. John Vickers (1587-1663), an English Puritan minister and author.
2. Thomas Vickers (1733-1784), an English clockmaker and inventor known for his work on the marine chronometer.
3. Frances Vickers (1785-1868), an English novelist and poet.
4. William Vickers (1839-1923), an English industrialist and founder of the Vickers armaments company.
5. Geoffrey Vickers (1894-1982), an English philosopher and systems theorist.
Throughout history, the surname Vickers has been associated with various professions, from clergymen and writers to industrialists and philosophers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vickers
Among Census respondents with the surname Vickers, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.1%. The next largest groups are Black (15.9%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Vickers bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Vickers surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.1%
- Black or African American15.9%
- Two or more races2.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Vickers surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,625 | #1,625 | 0.0% |
| Count | 22,176 | 22,176 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 7.52 | 7.52 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Vickers bearers went from 22,176 to 22,176 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #1,625 to #1,625.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Vickers
FAQ
Vickers surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Vickers?
The surname Vickers holds position #1,625 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 25,775 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 7.52 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Vickers surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vickers, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.1%. The next largest groups are Black (15.9%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.