NameCensus.

UK surname

Dickey

An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a ditch or dike digger or builder.

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Dickey surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 205, ranked #19,250, down from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, London parishes and Ealing, Chiswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Mainland, Hawick North and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dickey is 228 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.4%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

205

2016, ranked #19,250

Peak year

1999

228 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dickey had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016, ranked #19,250.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 127 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Dickey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dickey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dickey 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 65 #25,618
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 124 #20,818
1901 historical 115 #21,050
1911 historical 127 #19,749
1997 modern 213 #16,948
1998 modern 217 #17,207
1999 modern 228 #16,790
2000 modern 226 #16,840
2001 modern 226 #16,620
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 212 #17,454
2004 modern 220 #17,129
2005 modern 219 #17,126
2006 modern 210 #17,718
2007 modern 210 #17,904
2008 modern 209 #18,114
2009 modern 219 #17,960
2010 modern 224 #18,047
2011 modern 220 #18,096
2012 modern 199 #19,280
2013 modern 207 #19,093
2014 modern 211 #19,002
2015 modern 207 #19,155
2016 modern 205 #19,250

Geography

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Where Dickeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Mainland, Hawick North, Cornwall, South Hams and Aylesbury Vale. 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 Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas Berkshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Mainland Orkney Islands
2 Hawick North Scottish Borders
3 Cornwall 059 Cornwall
4 South Hams 008 South Hams
5 Aylesbury Vale 005 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dickey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dickey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dickey, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Dickey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Dickey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dickey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Dickey is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dickey falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dickey 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Dickey

The surname Dickey has its origins in England and Scotland, where it emerged as a diminutive form of the personal name Richard. The name is derived from the Old German "Richard," which means "brave ruler." It is believed to have been introduced to Britain by the Normans after their conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1195 as "Dicki." This spelling variation reflects the common practice of transforming the ending of a name to create a diminutive or nickname.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Dickey surname was found in various parts of England and Scotland. In the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, a person named William Dyke was recorded. This spelling variation highlights the diverse forms the name took over time.

The Dickey surname has a rich history, with several notable individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries. One of the earliest recorded examples is John Dickey, a Scottish minister born in 1670 who served as the first moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

Another prominent figure was James Dickey, an American poet and novelist born in 1923 and died in 1997, renowned for his work "Deliverance." James Dickey's literary contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.

In the realm of sports, Glenn Dickey, an American sportswriter and columnist born in 1928, made a significant impact. He covered various sporting events, including the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Athletics, for several decades.

The Dickey surname has also been associated with place names, such as Dickey County in North Dakota, which was named after James Dickey, a prominent local politician in the late 19th century.

Another notable individual was Adam Dickey, an American politician and lawyer born in 1776, who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee from 1833 to 1837.

While the origins of the Dickey surname can be traced back to England and Scotland, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dickey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dickey 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. Middlesex leads with 38 Dickeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.22x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 38 3.22x
Lancashire 22 1.57x
Northumberland 12 6.83x
Yorkshire 8 0.68x
Essex 6 2.58x
Hampshire 6 2.48x
Surrey 6 1.04x
Wigtownshire 5 31.91x
Berkshire 4 4.52x
Durham 2 0.57x
Lanarkshire 2 0.52x
Buteshire 1 13.99x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.34x
Cheshire 1 0.38x
Flintshire 1 3.15x
Midlothian 1 0.63x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.63x
Orkney 1 7.70x
Renfrewshire 1 1.09x
Sussex 1 0.50x
Warwickshire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bootle Cum Linacre in Lancashire leads with 14 Dickeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 125.90x.

Place Total Index
Bootle Cum Linacre 14 125.90x
Old Artillery Ground 12 1176.47x
Wallsend 10 179.53x
Horton In Bradford 8 43.81x
Chelsea London 7 19.69x
Spitalfields London 7 78.83x
Portsmouth 5 89.77x
West Ham 5 9.72x
Whithorn 5 420.17x
Abingdon St Helen 4 154.44x
Chiswick 4 62.02x
St Giles In Fields London 4 69.08x
Whitechapel London 4 34.39x
Newington 3 6.88x
Bishopwearmouth 2 6.64x
Great Crosby 2 52.36x
Merrow 2 833.33x
Newton 2 18.54x
Tynemouth 2 21.28x
Birmingham 1 1.01x
Birsay Harray 1 106.38x
Brighton 1 2.49x
Croydon 1 3.13x
Dukinfield 1 8.31x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 1 26.74x
Govan 1 1.06x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 1 123.46x
Hulme 1 3.42x
Huyton With Roby 1 60.98x
Kilbride 1 113.64x
Kirkdale 1 4.24x
Little Warley 1 312.50x
Manchester 1 1.59x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.43x
Port Glasgow 1 22.62x
Portsea 1 2.11x
Rhuddlan 1 35.84x
Stonehouse 1 77.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Margaret 6
Isabella 4
Sarah 4
Alice 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Rosa 2
Ann 1
Betsy 1
Blanch 1
Catherine 1
Chrisdena 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Hanah 1
Isabela 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Lilian 1
Lizzy 1
Lois 1
Meurth 1
Nellie 1
Rachael 1
Rachel 1
Susannah 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
Henry 5
William 5
James 3
Morris 3
Adam 2
David 2
Jacob 2
Robert 2
Aaron 1
Arthur 1
Chas.Herbert 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Felix 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
George 1
Joseph 1
Leon 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Samuel 1
W. 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1
Zakoe 1

FAQ

Dickey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dickey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Dickey surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dickey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016. That gives Dickey a modern rank of #19,250.

What does the Dickey surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a ditch or dike digger or builder.

What does the Dickey map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dickey 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.