NameCensus.

UK surname

Rickman

An English occupational surname referring to a man who is rich or wealthy.

In the 1881 census there were 586 people recorded with the Rickman surname, ranking it #5,952 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,003, ranked #5,792, up from #5,952 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lymington, Milford with Keyhaven (incl. Efford) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rickman is 1,061 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.2%.

1881 census count

586

Ranked #5,952

Modern count

1,003

2016, ranked #5,792

Peak year

1999

1,061 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rickman had 586 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,952 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,003 in 2016, ranked #5,792.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 761 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Rickman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rickman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rickman 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 410 #5,916
1861 historical 428 #6,002
1881 historical 586 #5,952
1891 historical 547 #6,916
1901 historical 674 #6,467
1911 historical 761 #5,680
1997 modern 1,008 #5,468
1998 modern 1,051 #5,435
1999 modern 1,061 #5,433
2000 modern 1,009 #5,648
2001 modern 1,015 #5,515
2002 modern 1,021 #5,603
2003 modern 994 #5,616
2004 modern 1,014 #5,531
2005 modern 982 #5,626
2006 modern 977 #5,654
2007 modern 983 #5,686
2008 modern 986 #5,715
2009 modern 1,018 #5,681
2010 modern 1,040 #5,693
2011 modern 1,044 #5,611
2012 modern 1,002 #5,725
2013 modern 996 #5,846
2014 modern 1,012 #5,799
2015 modern 1,002 #5,797
2016 modern 1,003 #5,792

Geography

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Where Rickmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lymington, Milford with Keyhaven (incl. Efford), London parishes and New Forest (Lady Cross Walk, Whitley Ridge Walk, Rhinefield Walk, Wilverley Walk, Holmesley Walk, Br. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Forest. 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 Lymington Hampshire
2 Milford with Keyhaven (incl. Efford) Hampshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 New Forest (Lady Cross Walk, Whitley Ridge Walk, Rhinefield Walk, Wilverley Walk, Holmesley Walk, Br Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Forest 015 New Forest
2 New Forest 018 New Forest
3 New Forest 020 New Forest
4 New Forest 021 New Forest
5 New Forest 019 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rickman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rickman

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Rickman is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Rickman is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rickman falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rickman

The surname Rickman originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "ric" meaning powerful or wealthy, and "man" meaning man or person. The name likely referred to someone who was considered a powerful or wealthy individual within their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Rickman surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Ricmane" and "Ricmanis" in various entries throughout the document.

In the 13th century, the surname was commonly spelled as "Rikeman" or "Ricman" in various records and manuscripts from counties such as Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. By the 14th century, the spelling had evolved closer to the modern form of "Rickman."

Some notable historical figures bearing the Rickman surname include John Rickman (1771-1840), a political economist and census pioneer who played a significant role in the development of modern census techniques in England. Thomas Rickman (1776-1841) was an English architect and writer known for his work on Gothic Revival architecture and his influential book "An Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture."

Another notable individual was William Rickman (1542-1618), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the City of London during the Elizabethan era. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1592-1593.

In the 18th century, Edward Rickman (1730-1803) was a prominent English lawyer and legal writer who served as the Deputy Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London.

The surname Rickman is also associated with several place names in England, such as Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire, which likely derived its name from an early landowner or prominent individual with the surname Rickman.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rickman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rickman 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. Hampshire leads with 305 Rickmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.90x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 305 25.90x
Middlesex 81 1.41x
Surrey 55 1.96x
Kent 24 1.22x
Dorset 14 3.71x
Yorkshire 14 0.25x
Denbighshire 13 5.99x
Sussex 13 1.34x
Lancashire 10 0.15x
Berkshire 9 2.09x
Northamptonshire 9 1.67x
Devon 8 0.67x
Angus 7 1.32x
Cheshire 6 0.47x
Essex 5 0.44x
Durham 3 0.18x
Hertfordshire 2 0.51x
Royal Navy 2 2.92x
Somerset 2 0.22x
Bedfordshire 1 0.34x
Channel Islands 1 0.59x
Cornwall 1 0.15x
Midlothian 1 0.13x
Northumberland 1 0.12x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Wiltshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lymington in Hampshire leads with 63 Rickmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 727.48x.

Place Total Index
Lymington 63 727.48x
Sway 53 3375.80x
Hordle 42 2048.78x
Milford 34 988.37x
Southampton St Mary 26 35.11x
Islington London 19 3.41x
Lambeth 16 3.19x
Milton 15 511.95x
Portsea 14 6.07x
Hammersmith London 12 8.48x
Camberwell 10 2.72x
Hackney London 9 2.79x
Peterborough 9 23.00x
Barkham 8 1860.47x
Blandford Forum 8 107.53x
Brockenhurst 8 392.16x
Erith 8 41.43x
Fulham London 8 9.60x
Dundee 7 3.52x
East Dean 7 2000.00x
Liverpool 7 1.69x
Llanrhydd 7 409.36x
Twickenham 7 28.42x
Claughton With Grange 6 103.81x
Llanfwrog 6 225.56x
Mitcham 6 33.92x
St Faith Winchester 6 109.29x
St Marylebone London 6 1.96x
St Pancras London 6 1.30x
Streatham 6 14.07x
Durweston 5 675.68x
Gate Fulford 5 37.62x
Lee 5 17.57x
Modbury 5 163.93x
Calbourne 4 317.46x
Empshott 4 1250.00x
Kensington London 4 1.25x
Scarborough 4 7.73x
Skidby 4 563.38x
Wandsworth 4 7.23x
West Ham 4 1.60x
Weybridge 4 66.56x
Christchurch 3 11.75x
Northwood 3 17.89x
South Malling 3 208.33x
Bow London 2 2.73x
Chertsey 2 11.06x
Clapham 2 2.78x
Croydon 2 1.29x
Eastbourne 2 4.49x
Eling 2 16.76x
Gillingham 2 4.95x
Mottisfont 2 196.08x
Portsmouth 2 7.38x
Ringmer 2 73.26x
Ringwood 2 26.56x
Romsey Extra 2 28.57x
Royal Navy 2 3.42x
Speldhurst 2 20.04x
St Maurice Winchester 2 40.82x
St Thomas Winchester 2 24.04x
Stoke Newington London 2 4.47x
Westoe 2 2.06x
Ampleforth Oswaldkirk 1 175.44x
Ashford 1 22.03x
Cliffe 1 22.62x
Egham 1 5.82x
Elswick 1 1.47x
Great Bedwin 1 27.70x
Kingston On Thames 1 1.49x
Minster In Sheppey 1 3.08x
Norwood 1 7.61x
Otterbourne 1 59.52x
Romsey Infra 1 25.06x
South Leith 1 1.15x
Southampton All Sts 1 4.95x
Stranton 1 1.74x
Swanscombe 1 11.35x
Waterloo 1 208.33x
Watford 1 3.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 31
John 29
George 23
Charles 20
James 16
Thomas 12
Arthur 9
Harry 9
Frederick 8
Ernest 6
Henry 6
Robert 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Edward 5
Frank 5
Joseph 5
Samuel 5
Edwin 3
Richard 3
Tom 3
Barnard 2
Edgar 2
Eli 2
Herbert 2
Mark 2
Michal 2
Phillip 2
Stuart 2
Wm. 2
Archibald 1
Cain 1
Cecil 1
Charly 1
Clemant 1
Douglas 1
Elias 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Hubert 1
J.H. 1
Jona 1
Legh 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Lot 1

FAQ

Rickman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rickman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 586 people were recorded with the Rickman surname. That placed it at #5,952 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rickman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,003 in 2016. That gives Rickman a modern rank of #5,792.

What does the Rickman surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a man who is rich or wealthy.

What does the Rickman map show?

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