NameCensus.

UK surname

Dixson

Son of Dick or Richard, a patronymic surname of English origin.

In the 1881 census there were 275 people recorded with the Dixson surname, ranking it #10,330 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 247, ranked #16,955, down from #10,330 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Halifax and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mole Valley, Bromley and Havering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dixson is 389 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.2%.

1881 census count

275

Ranked #10,330

Modern count

247

2016, ranked #16,955

Peak year

1861

389 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dixson had 275 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,330 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016, ranked #16,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 389 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Dixson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dixson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dixson 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 344 #6,842
1861 historical 389 #6,580
1881 historical 275 #10,330
1891 historical 268 #12,087
1901 historical 298 #11,695
1911 historical 237 #13,406
1997 modern 211 #17,048
1998 modern 218 #17,159
1999 modern 215 #17,425
2000 modern 210 #17,670
2001 modern 200 #17,948
2002 modern 201 #18,236
2003 modern 196 #18,358
2004 modern 195 #18,500
2005 modern 204 #17,893
2006 modern 211 #17,662
2007 modern 214 #17,688
2008 modern 214 #17,854
2009 modern 224 #17,685
2010 modern 219 #18,319
2011 modern 199 #19,346
2012 modern 211 #18,539
2013 modern 228 #17,864
2014 modern 236 #17,577
2015 modern 237 #17,413
2016 modern 247 #16,955

Geography

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Where Dixsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Halifax, Edinburgh and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mole Valley, Bromley, Havering, Tonbridge and Malling and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mole Valley 008 Mole Valley
2 Bromley 007 Bromley
3 Havering 024 Havering
4 Tonbridge and Malling 007 Tonbridge and Malling
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 006 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dixson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dixson

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Dixson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Dixson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Dixson is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dixson 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

Dixson falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dixson 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 Dixson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dixson

The surname DIXSON originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English personal name Dicca, which was a diminutive of the name Richard. The suffix '-son' was added to denote 'son of', meaning 'son of Dicca'.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name DIXSON dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as Dixsun. This suggests that the name was already established in England before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the 13th century, the name DIXSON was found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentioned a Roger Dixson. This indicates that the name had spread across different regions of England by this time.

During the 16th century, the DIXSON surname appeared in various parish records and tax rolls. One notable bearer of the name was Richard Dixson, a merchant who lived in London in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the DIXSON name was found in several historical records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of Yorkshire from 1672, which listed a John Dixson. This suggests that the name had established a presence in northern England.

One of the earliest recorded DIXSONs in America was Edward Dixson, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. He was among the early settlers of the British colonies in North America.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname DIXSON. These include:

1. William Dixson (1754-1826), an English architect known for designing several churches and public buildings in London. 2. John Dixson (1766-1842), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. 3. Elizabeth Dixson (1843-1920), a American educator and suffragist who advocated for women's rights. 4. Henry Dixson (1892-1974), an Australian businessman and philanthropist who donated significant funds to the University of Sydney. 5. Robert Dixson (1919-2001), a British painter and sculptor known for his abstract expressionist works.

The DIXSON surname has experienced various spelling variations over the centuries, including Dixon, Dickson, and Dickinson, among others. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the Old English personal name Dicca and the patronymic suffix '-son'.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dixson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dixson 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. Surrey leads with 63 Dixsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.79x.

County Total Index
Surrey 63 4.79x
Lancashire 40 1.25x
Yorkshire 36 1.34x
Middlesex 27 1.00x
Midlothian 16 4.42x
Northumberland 16 3.98x
Kent 13 1.41x
Lincolnshire 13 3.01x
Durham 9 1.12x
Cheshire 8 1.34x
Norfolk 6 1.44x
Essex 4 0.75x
Dumfriesshire 3 5.03x
Gloucestershire 3 0.57x
Leicestershire 3 1.00x
Staffordshire 3 0.33x
Warwickshire 2 0.29x
Wiltshire 2 0.84x
Ayrshire 1 0.49x
Berkshire 1 0.49x
Caithness 1 2.70x
Cumberland 1 0.43x
Fife 1 0.63x
Hampshire 1 0.18x
Lanarkshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 3.11x
Suffolk 1 0.30x
West Lothian 1 2.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rotherhithe in Surrey leads with 51 Dixsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 152.79x.

Place Total Index
Rotherhithe 51 152.79x
Norland 12 652.17x
Newton In Makerfield 10 101.83x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 17.67x
Pocklington 8 316.21x
Wye 8 559.44x
Batley 7 27.50x
Battersea 7 7.04x
Bromley London 7 11.77x
Dukinfield 7 25.40x
Mile End Old Town London 7 12.17x
Wigan 7 15.63x
Currie 6 270.27x
Great Little Marsden 6 40.84x
Roddam 6 7500.00x
South Cockerington 6 2857.14x
West Ashby 6 1666.67x
Barton Bendish 5 1219.51x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 3.43x
Inveresk 5 51.02x
Kensington London 5 3.33x
St Giles In Fields London 5 37.71x
Toxteth Park 5 4.61x
Elswick 4 12.46x
Roseden 4 6666.67x
Annan 3 58.48x
Camberwell 3 1.74x
Lamesley 3 69.28x
Leeds 3 1.98x
Leicester St Margaret 3 4.11x
West Langdon 3 3000.00x
Wigginton Hopwas Hays 3 1000.00x
Chelsea London 2 2.46x
Gateshead 2 3.32x
Gomersal 2 16.00x
Horndon On Hill 2 363.64x
Lambeth 2 0.85x
Liddiard Millicent 2 243.90x
Margate St John Baptist 2 11.85x
Monkwearmouth Shore 2 12.75x
South Shields 2 27.93x
Tottington Lower End 2 13.12x
Allendale 1 26.81x
Alnwick 1 14.47x
Aston 1 0.53x
Ayr 1 10.48x
Birmingham 1 0.44x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 5.66x
Bucknall 1 322.58x
Bunbury 1 121.95x
Burnley 1 3.70x
Cartworth 1 45.25x
Clapham Cum Newby 1 158.73x
Dyrham Hinton 1 270.27x
Govan 1 0.46x
Holdenhurst 1 6.88x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 8.02x
Linlithgow 1 19.16x
Logie 1 277.78x
Marsden In Almondbury 1 40.98x
Royal Navy 1 3.63x
Saddleworth 1 4.84x
Sandhurst 1 25.45x
Southchurch 1 204.08x
St Cuthbert W O Brisco 1 384.62x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.10x
Westhorpe 1 500.00x
Wick 1 8.37x
Winchcomb 1 38.02x
Wivenhoe 1 47.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 24
George 12
Thomas 11
William 11
James 10
Joseph 9
Robert 6
Edward 4
Charles 3
Henry 3
Nicholas 3
Walter 3
Percy 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Bartholomuw 1
Benjamin 1
Cornelius 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Horatio 1
Jos. 1
Michael 1
Patrick 1
Ralph 1
Sam 1
Thresorius 1
Wm. 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Dixson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dixson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 275 people were recorded with the Dixson surname. That placed it at #10,330 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dixson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016. That gives Dixson a modern rank of #16,955.

What does the Dixson surname mean?

Son of Dick or Richard, a patronymic surname of English origin.

What does the Dixson map show?

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