NameCensus.

UK surname

Rickers

A surname referring to one who rakes or collects hay or grain.

In the 1881 census there were 116 people recorded with the Rickers surname, ranking it #18,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 162, ranked #22,512, down from #18,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Shiffnal and Madeley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Amber Valley, Telford and Wrekin and Flintshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rickers is 214 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.7%.

1881 census count

116

Ranked #18,126

Modern count

162

2016, ranked #22,512

Peak year

1901

214 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rickers had 116 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016, ranked #22,512.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 214 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rickers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rickers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rickers 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 115 #18,880
1881 historical 116 #18,126
1891 historical 188 #15,609
1901 historical 214 #14,517
1911 historical 198 #15,058
1997 modern 198 #17,729
1998 modern 204 #17,896
1999 modern 200 #18,237
2000 modern 196 #18,431
2001 modern 193 #18,334
2002 modern 205 #18,009
2003 modern 195 #18,411
2004 modern 199 #18,260
2005 modern 190 #18,753
2006 modern 191 #18,825
2007 modern 188 #19,204
2008 modern 196 #18,895
2009 modern 185 #20,010
2010 modern 189 #20,171
2011 modern 186 #20,217
2012 modern 180 #20,606
2013 modern 175 #21,320
2014 modern 177 #21,340
2015 modern 169 #21,888
2016 modern 162 #22,512

Geography

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Where Rickers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Shiffnal, Madeley, Selston and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Amber Valley, Telford and Wrekin, Flintshire, Sandwell and Bolsover. 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 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
2 Shiffnal Shropshire
3 Madeley Shropshire
4 Selston Nottinghamshire
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Amber Valley 003 Amber Valley
2 Telford and Wrekin 022 Telford and Wrekin
3 Flintshire 015 Flintshire
4 Sandwell 027 Sandwell
5 Bolsover 005 Bolsover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rickers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rickers

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rickers, 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 Rickers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rickers 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Rickers is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rickers is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rickers 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 Rickers 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 Rickers, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rickers

The surname Rickers has its origins in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "ricken," which means "to pull up" or "to tear up." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who worked as a farmer or laborer, possibly tearing up or pulling up crops or weeds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rickers can be found in a document from the town of Hildesheim, located in Lower Saxony, Germany, dated 1578. The document mentions a "Johann Rickers" who was a local landowner and farmer.

In the 17th century, the name Rickers appeared in various records across northern Germany, particularly in the regions of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. This suggests that the name may have been more prevalent in these areas during that time period.

An interesting historical figure with the surname Rickers was Johann Rickers, born in 1698 in the town of Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein. He was a renowned clockmaker and is credited with inventing a unique type of pendulum clock, known as the "Rickers Clock," which became popular in the region.

Another notable individual with the surname Rickers was Heinrich Rickers, born in 1784 in the town of Lübeck, Germany. He was a prominent merchant and ship owner, and his trading vessels sailed throughout the Baltic Sea region.

In the 19th century, the name Rickers appeared in records from the town of Ritterhude, near Bremen, in northern Germany. A family of Rickers was recorded as living in the town in the 1830s, and they were involved in the local agricultural industry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rickers in the United States can be traced back to Johann Rickers, who immigrated to Pennsylvania from Germany in the late 18th century. He settled in the town of Germantown, near Philadelphia, and worked as a farmer.

Another notable figure with the surname Rickers was Wilhelm Rickers, born in 1857 in the town of Itzehoe, Schleswig-Holstein. He was a renowned architect and designed several notable buildings in Hamburg and other cities in northern Germany during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rickers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rickers 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. Shropshire leads with 54 Rickers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.78x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 54 54.78x
Staffordshire 25 6.49x
Lancashire 13 0.96x
Warwickshire 9 3.13x
Yorkshire 7 0.62x
Glamorgan 3 1.51x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.95x
Durham 1 0.29x
Kent 1 0.26x
Surrey 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Madeley in Shropshire leads with 21 Rickers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 581.72x.

Place Total Index
Madeley 21 581.72x
Shifnal 14 522.39x
Wellington 12 216.61x
Birmingham 9 9.38x
West Bromwich 8 36.28x
Bilston 7 93.83x
Darlaston 7 131.58x
Methley 6 377.36x
Pendlebury 6 209.79x
Dawley 4 111.42x
Neath 3 74.26x
Rainford 3 205.48x
Selston 3 174.42x
Wolverhampton 3 10.13x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 2 183.49x
Bury 1 6.46x
Deptford St Paul 1 3.33x
Holy Trinity 1 3.68x
Manchester 1 1.64x
Oldham 1 2.29x
Salford 1 2.51x
Shrewsbury St Mary 1 25.71x
Stranton 1 8.75x
Wandsworth 1 9.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 6
Elizabeth 4
Hannah 4
Emma 3
Harriet 3
Ada 2
Ann 2
Martha 2
Rebecca 2
Selina 2
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Leah 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1
Sussanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
George 9
John 6
Richard 5
Thomas 4
Benjamin 3
Samuel 3
Jabez 2
Ben 1
Chas.J. 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Henry 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Noah 1

FAQ

Rickers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rickers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 116 people were recorded with the Rickers surname. That placed it at #18,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rickers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016. That gives Rickers a modern rank of #22,512.

What does the Rickers surname mean?

A surname referring to one who rakes or collects hay or grain.

What does the Rickers map show?

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