| ![Show Contents]() Dickans History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Dickans was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Norman baptismal name which means the son of Diccon, which is a diminution of the parent name, Richard. 1 Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames. Most of the early appearances of the name were found in the French form Dicon, which lingered until the 16th century. Early Origins of the Dickans familyThe surname Dickans was first found in Staffordshire where one of the first listings of the name was Richard Dicum who listed in the Assize Rolls there in 1203. The Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire list John Dycon in 1327. 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: Richard Digon in London; Roger Digun; and Alice Dikun while the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists: Alicia Dycon, mayden; Ricardus Dicon; and Willwlmus Diconson. 1 The reader should pay special attention to the term "mayden" in the last entry as while the modern spelling is obviously "maiden," we must realize that as it was noted in the rolls, Alicia Dycon was a woman who held lands and was a person of distinction; a feat rarely seen in the 13th century! Today most of the spellings of the surname are usually seen appended with "s." Early History of the Dickans familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dickans research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1770, 1787, 1793, 1812, 1816, 1870 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Dickans History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Dickans Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Dickens, Dickins, Diggons, Diggens, Diggins, Dikens, Digons, Diquon and many more. Early Notables of the Dickans familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870), popular English novelist, buried in Westminster Abbey.Mrs Dickons, daughter of a gentleman named Poole, was born in London about 1770. Her musical talent was early developed. She became a pupil of Rauzzini, and in 1787 appeared at Vauxhall Gardens as a singer. Her progress was rapid, and she became engaged at the Concert of Ancient Music and other concerts. On Oct...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dickans Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Dickans family to Ireland
Some of the Dickans family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Dickans familyMany English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Dickans or a variant listed above: Edward Dickens who settled in Barbados in 1683; Hugh Dicken settled in Virginia in 1623; Thomas Dicken settled in Antigua in 1685; Henry Dickens settled in Nantucket in 1823.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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England
Ireland
