Show ContentsTicknor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Ticknor family

The surname Ticknor was first found in Sussex where the name is thought to have been from "Tichenor, probably a corruption of At Itchenor, 'T Itchenor, from the river Itchen; the name of a village." 1

However, another source claims the name denotes someone "who came from Tichnor (Tyca's shore), in Kent. 2

And finally to confuse matters more, another source claims the name the surname "is derived from an occupation. Mr. Lower, quoting Mr. Ferguson, says, 'Dutch teekenaar, a drawer or designer' 3. This seems the more probable as the surname is modern in England, and may be the result of immigration." 4 "Ticknor is a famous American name." 5

Early History of the Ticknor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ticknor research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1630, 1660, 1662, 1707, 1757, 1771, 1791, 1810, 1821, 1864 and 1871 are included under the topic Early Ticknor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ticknor Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tichenor, Ticknor, Titchner, Tiknor, Tikner, Titchener, Tycknor, Tyckner, Tytchener and many more.

Early Notables of the Ticknor family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Elisha Ticknor (1757-1821) was an American educator and merchant primarily active in Boston, Massachusetts. Ticknor's parents moved their family and farm from Lebanon, Connecticut, to Lebanon, New Ham...
  • William Davis Ticknor I (1810-1864), the American publisher in Boston, Massachusetts who co-founded the publishing house Ticknor and Fields was a cousin of George Ticknor


United States Ticknor migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ticknor Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Ticknor, who landed in Massachusetts in 1646 6
  • Thomas Ticknor, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 6
Ticknor Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • H H Ticknor, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Ticknor (post 1700) +

  • William Davis Ticknor Sr. (1881-1938), American president and chairman of the board of Commercial Solvents Corporation, son of William Davis Ticknor I
  • Elisha Ticknor (1757-1821), American educator and merchant, father of George Ticknor
  • Ben Ticknor (1909-1979), American football player elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954
  • George Ticknor (1791-1871), American academician and Hispanist
  • William Davis Ticknor I (1810-1864), American publisher in Boston, founder of the publishing house Ticknor and Fields
  • George Ticknor Curtis (1812-1894), American author and lawyer


  1. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook