Hicklin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient history of the Hicklin name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in Hickling, a parish in the county of Norfolk.

Early Origins of the Hicklin family

The surname Hicklin was first found in Norfolk at Hickling, a village and a civil parish that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Hikelinga. 1 The place name literally meant "settlement of a family or followers of man called Hicel," from the Old English personal name + "-ingas". 2 "A priory of Black canons, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, St. Augustine, and All Saints, was founded in the year 1185, by Theobald de Valentia or Valoins." 3 Another Hickling is found in Nottinghamshire. This village near Melton Mowbray is on the southernmost border of Nottinghamshire. In this case, the place name was first listed as Hikelinge c. 1000 and later listed as Hechelinge in the Domesday Book. 2 St. Luke's church "is a handsome ancient structure, with a lofty tower: the lid of a stone coffin, curiously inscribed with Runic characters, has been discovered in the chancel." 3

Early History of the Hicklin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hicklin research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1163 and 1327 are included under the topic Early Hicklin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hicklin Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hicklin include Hickling, Hicklin, Hicking and others.

Early Notables of the Hicklin family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Edward Hickling, Bishop of Norwich

Hicklin Ranking

In the United States, the name Hicklin is the 17,733^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Hicklin migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hicklin or a variant listed above:

Hicklin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Henry Hicklin, aged 44, who immigrated to the United States from Motherwell, in 1900
Henry Hicklin, aged 39, who settled in America from Wishaw, in 1905
Elizabeth Hicklin, aged 21, who landed in America from Edington, in 1906
Ada Hicklin, aged 18, who settled in America from Pontefrack, England, in 1914
William Hicklin, aged 38, who landed in America from Winerfried, England, in 1914
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hicklin (post 1700) +

E. R. Hicklin, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Iowa 1st District, 1934
Edwin Richley Hicklin (1895-1963), United States federal judge in Iowa
Ron Hicklin, American musician and founder of the Ron Hicklin Singers, best known as the background vocalistrs on The Partridge Family recordings
Benjamin Hicklin JP (1816-1909), English farmer, solicitor and Borough Magistrate served as Mayor of Wolverhampton (1859-1860), eponym of the Hicklin test for obscenity
Ashley Hicklin (b. 1985), English singer, songwriter, and producer from Scarborough, North Yorkshire

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/