Dickinson Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Dickinson last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Dickinson last name
Meaning of the Dickinson last name: son of Dickin (Richard). Dickinson is an English surname meaning "son of Dickin", a little form of Dick, the medieval pet name for Richard. The last name is common in northern England and the Midlands. Curiously, two famous Americans carried it: the poet Emily Dickinson of Amherst and John Dickinson, called the Penman of the Revolution.
Arms associated with the Dickinson name
Coats of arms associated with the Dickinson surname follow English heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Dickinson family history
This is only a glimpse of the Dickinson story. The full Dickinson history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Dickinson coat of arms. Get the full Dickinson report.
Dickinson name FAQ
What does the Dickinson name mean?
Son of Dickin (Richard). Common variants include Dickenson, Dickerson.
Where does the Dickinson surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Dickinson coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Dickinson coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).