NameCensus.

UK surname

Dicker

A surname derived from the German word meaning "thick" or "stout".

In the 1881 census there were 1,172 people recorded with the Dicker surname, ranking it #3,440 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,284, ranked #4,666, down from #3,440 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) and Warnborough, South. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broxbourne, Westminster and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dicker is 1,681 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.6%.

1881 census count

1,172

Ranked #3,440

Modern count

1,284

2016, ranked #4,666

Peak year

1911

1,681 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dicker had 1,172 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,440 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,284 in 2016, ranked #4,666.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,681 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dicker surname distribution map

The map shows where the Dicker surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Dicker surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dicker over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 764 #3,490
1861 historical 745 #3,659
1881 historical 1,172 #3,440
1891 historical 1,265 #3,415
1901 historical 1,500 #3,420
1911 historical 1,681 #2,911
1997 modern 1,481 #3,949
1998 modern 1,519 #4,000
1999 modern 1,524 #4,023
2000 modern 1,507 #4,049
2001 modern 1,447 #4,107
2002 modern 1,474 #4,123
2003 modern 1,432 #4,148
2004 modern 1,426 #4,162
2005 modern 1,402 #4,183
2006 modern 1,367 #4,278
2007 modern 1,394 #4,245
2008 modern 1,372 #4,325
2009 modern 1,365 #4,415
2010 modern 1,392 #4,421
2011 modern 1,374 #4,423
2012 modern 1,343 #4,445
2013 modern 1,370 #4,449
2014 modern 1,361 #4,495
2015 modern 1,300 #4,631
2016 modern 1,284 #4,666

Geography

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Where Dickers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), Warnborough, South and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broxbourne, Westminster, Wiltshire, Braintree and Arun. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
3 Warnborough, South Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broxbourne 001 Broxbourne
2 Westminster 003 Westminster
3 Wiltshire 025 Wiltshire
4 Braintree 004 Braintree
5 Arun 005 Arun

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dicker

These lists show first names that appear often with the Dicker surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dicker

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dicker, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Dicker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dicker household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Dicker is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dicker is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dicker falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dicker is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Dicker, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dicker

The surname Dicker originated in Germany, where it first appeared in records dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Middle High German word "dicker," meaning "fat" or "thick." It is believed to have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone of larger stature.

In its earliest forms, the name was often spelled as "Diker" or "Dyker." These variations can be found in various medieval German documents, including some local parish records and court rolls from the 14th and 15th centuries.

One of the earliest known references to the name comes from the town of Dortmund, in the region of Westphalia, where a man named Heinrich Dicker is mentioned in a land deed from 1327. Another early record is that of Johannes Dicker, a merchant from the city of Cologne, whose name appears in a trade register from 1402.

The Dicker surname has also been associated with certain place names, such as Dickershausen, a small village in Lower Saxony. It is possible that some individuals with this surname may have derived their name from this or similar locations, rather than the descriptive nickname.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Dicker surname. One example is Christoph Dicker (1617-1678), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Brandenburg. Another is Johann Peter Dicker (1765-1838), a German botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy.

In England, the Dicker name can be traced back to the 16th century, likely introduced by German immigrants or merchants. One notable figure was Sir John Dicker (1570-1638), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1629.

The surname Dicker has also been found in other European countries, such as the Netherlands and Switzerland, where it may have been introduced through migration or trade. For instance, Hans Dicker (1534-1609) was a Swiss Protestant reformer and theologian who played a role in the Reformation movement.

Throughout its history, the Dicker surname has maintained a strong presence, particularly in Germany and other German-speaking regions. While it may have evolved from a simple descriptive nickname, it has since become a respected family name with a rich cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dicker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dicker surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 228 Dickers recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.57x.

County Total Index
Devon 228 9.57x
Hampshire 181 7.72x
Middlesex 172 1.50x
Surrey 165 2.96x
Dorset 74 9.85x
Sussex 73 3.78x
Kent 70 1.79x
Somerset 41 2.23x
Berkshire 39 4.54x
Cambridgeshire 20 2.76x
Lancashire 14 0.10x
Gloucestershire 13 0.58x
Wiltshire 9 0.89x
Hertfordshire 8 1.01x
Buckinghamshire 7 1.01x
Denbighshire 7 1.62x
Northumberland 7 0.41x
Cheshire 6 0.24x
Oxfordshire 6 0.85x
Warwickshire 5 0.17x
Angus 4 0.38x
Essex 4 0.18x
Glamorgan 4 0.20x
Montgomeryshire 3 1.14x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.83x
Cornwall 2 0.15x
Suffolk 2 0.14x
Worcestershire 2 0.13x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Monmouthshire 1 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pamber in Hampshire leads with 24 Dickers recorded in 1881 and an index of 882.35x.

Place Total Index
Pamber 24 882.35x
Bermondsey 20 5.87x
Croydon 19 6.14x
Odiham 19 184.65x
Tiverton 19 46.31x
Hackney London 18 2.81x
Lambeth 18 1.80x
St Marylebone London 16 2.62x
Camberwell 15 2.05x
Highweek 15 176.68x
Islington London 15 1.35x
Cranleigh 14 171.57x
Edmonton 13 14.10x
Hartley Wintney 13 184.40x
Fulham London 12 7.23x
Godalming 12 34.19x
Holbeton 12 275.23x
Isleworth 12 23.59x
Milborne St Andrew 12 540.54x
Plymouth Charles The 11 10.48x
St Pancras London 11 1.19x
Tormoham 11 10.91x
Brixham 10 36.23x
Christchurch 10 19.66x
Crediton 10 44.31x
Fareham 10 35.47x
March 10 41.20x
Mortimer 10 243.31x
Newington 10 2.37x
Plymouth St Andrew 10 5.45x
Throwleigh 10 806.45x
Chagford 9 157.89x
Eastbourne 9 10.14x
Preston 9 26.71x
St Andrewthe Less 9 10.87x
Wandsworth 9 8.17x
Westerham 9 100.00x
Alton 8 45.25x
Brixton 8 297.40x
Chelsea London 8 2.32x
Exeter Holy Trinity 8 85.74x
Kensington London 8 1.26x
Lee 8 14.11x
Maiden Newton 8 254.78x
Maresfield 8 98.40x
Milborne Port 8 108.55x
Batcombe 7 1400.00x
Burghfield 7 137.80x
Chertsey 7 19.43x
Chiswick 7 11.20x
Church Oakley 7 603.45x
Dunsford 7 230.26x
Exeter St Paul 7 148.31x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 12.83x
Kingston On Thames 7 5.23x
Little Bolton 7 4.01x
Merton 7 307.02x
Newick 7 165.09x
Newton Ferrers 7 252.71x
Rotherfield 7 41.20x
Shoreditch London 7 1.41x
South Warnborough 7 564.52x
Stoke Damerel 7 4.20x
Tottenham 7 3.84x
Warmwell 7 985.92x
Aldershot 6 7.64x
Bedminster 6 3.47x
Clapham 6 4.19x
Clifton Maybank 6 1935.48x
Combe St Nicholas 6 134.83x
Fletching 6 69.52x
Guildford Holy Trinity 6 56.44x
New Alresford 6 98.68x
Paignton 6 33.11x
Portsea 6 1.31x
Sherborne St John 6 238.10x
Tonbridge 6 4.26x
Weymouth 6 42.16x
Woolwich 6 4.16x
Wantage 5 36.52x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dicker surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dicker surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 67
William 67
Thomas 40
George 35
Charles 28
Henry 26
James 23
Richard 18
Robert 16
Edward 15
Walter 14
Alfred 13
Joseph 12
Samuel 12
Albert 11
Arthur 11
David 11
Frederick 11
Ernest 10
Harry 8
Frank 6
Edwin 5
Daniel 4
Francis 4
Jesse 4
Andrew 3
Augustus 3
Benjamin 3
Fredk. 3
Geo. 3
August 2
Douglas 2
Elias 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Gilbert 2
Herbert 2
Jonathan 2
Percy 2
Spencer 2
T. 2
Wm. 2
Bertie 1
C. 1
Calab 1
Edw. 1
Ernnest 1
F.T.H. 1
Felix 1

FAQ

Dicker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dicker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,172 people were recorded with the Dicker surname. That placed it at #3,440 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dicker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,284 in 2016. That gives Dicker a modern rank of #4,666.

What does the Dicker surname mean?

A surname derived from the German word meaning "thick" or "stout".

What does the Dicker map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dicker bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.