Contents [hide]

Dyck History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Dyck History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
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Netherlands
Germany
Scotland
Ireland
England

The saga of the Dyck family name begins among the people of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. The Dyck name is derived from the given name Richard. 1 Dick is a diminutive of this personal name.

One source explains the origin more clearly: "In Scotland it has been variously written at different periods, as Dicson, Dykson, Dikson, Diksoun, Diksoune, Dixson, and Dickson. They are descended from one Richard Keith, said to be a son of the family of Keith, earls-marshal of Scotland, and in proof thereof they carry in their arms the chief of Keith Mareschal. This Richard was commonly called Dick, and his sons, with the carelessness of that age, were styled 'Dickson.' It is probable that he was the son of the great Marshal, Hervey de Keth, (ob. 1249,) by his wife Margaret, daughter of William, third lord Douglas." 2

Early Origins of the Dyck family

The surname Dyck was first found in Edinburghshire, a former county, now part of the Midlothian council area where William de Dyck was first magistrate of Edinburgh in 1296. John Dic, was a witness in Ayr, 1490, Wille Dic was 'dekin of the bakstaris' of Stirling in 1526. John Dyk or Dik was bailie of David, Earl of Craufurd in Perthshire in 1547 and Alexander Dik was archdean of Glasgow in 1555. 3

Some of the family were found in Northern England in later years. Yorkshire records for 1563 listed: William Dycks; and William Dix. 4 In Norfolk, Thomas Dykkes, was rector of Bodney, Norfolk in 1431, and William Dykk was rector of Godwick in 1420. 5

Early History of the Dyck family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dyck research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1526, 1580, 1618, 1631, 1638, 1639, 1655, 1658, 1678, 1681, 1703, 1725, 1728, 1741, 1785 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Dyck History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dyck Spelling Variations

Repeated and inaccurate translation of Scottish names from Gaelic to English and back resulted in a wide variety of spelling variations with single names. Dyck has appeared Dick, Dyck, Dic and others.

Early Notables of the Dyck family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Sir William Dick (1580?-1655), Provost of Edinburgh, the only son of John Dick, who held a large proprietor in the Orkneys, and who had acquired considerable wealth by trading with Denmark, and was a favourite of James VI. "In 1618 he advanced 6,000l. to defray the household expenses of James VI when he held a parliament in Scotland in 1618. Through his influence with the government he greatly increased his wealth by farming the customs and excise; he extended the trade of the Firth of Forth with the Baltic and Mediterranean ports, and...
Another 312 words (22 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dyck Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dyck Ranking

In the United States, the name Dyck is the 13,073^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6 However, in Canada, the name Dyck is ranked the 251^st most popular surname with an estimated 16,262 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Dyck family to Ireland

Some of the Dyck family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dyck migration to the United States +

Many Scottish families suffered enormous hardships and were compelled to leave their country of birth. They traveled to Ireland and Australia, but mostly to the colonies of North America, where many found the freedom and opportunity they sought. It was not without a fight, though, as many were forced to stand up and defend their freedom in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of these Scots abroad have rediscovered their heritage in the last century through the Clan societies and other organizations that have sprung up across North America. Immigration and passenger ship lists show some important early immigrants bearing the name Dyck:

Dyck Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Lydia Van Dyck, who landed in New York, NY in 1655 8
Hendrick Dyck, who landed in New York in 1660 8

Dyck Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Peter Dyck, who arrived in New York, NY in 1872 8
Johann Dyck, aged 20, who arrived in New York, NY in 1876 8
Heinr Dyck, aged 10, who landed in New York, NY in 1876 8
Agatha Dyck, aged 62, who arrived in New York, NY in 1876 8
Anna Dyck, aged 24, who landed in New York, NY in 1876 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dyck migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dyck Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Heinrich Dyck, who arrived in Manitoba in 1879
Pillip Dyck, who landed in Manitoba in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name Dyck (post 1700) +

Cornelius Van Alen Van Dyck (1818-1895), American missionary and translator of the Bible into Arabic
James Robert Dyck (1922-1999), American third baseman and left fielder in Major League Baseball
Henry H. Van Dyck, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1860 9
Henry H. Van Dyck, American politician, Member of New York State Senate 2nd District, 1837-40 9
Cornelius Van Dyck, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Albany County, 1788-89 9
Abraham Van Dyck, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Greene County, 1813-14 9
Jennifer Van Dyck (b. 1962), Scottish television, film, and stage actress
Peter George Dyck, Canadian politician in Manitoba, Canada
Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641), Flemish Baroque artist
Henry Richard Dyck (1912-1993), Canadian professional ice hockey left wing
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Dyck Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: At spes infracta
Motto Translation: Yet my hope is unbroken.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html