The Dickerson Name
Written and researched by Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewska, B.F.A.

MEANINGS OF THE NAMES DICKERSON/DICKINSON:

• Dickerson means the son of the maker of dikes or ditches.

• Dickinson means the son of little Dick, a pet form of Richard (rule, hard)(Smith, Elsdon C., New Dictionary of American Family Names. New York: Gramercy Publishing Cmpany, 1988).

EARLIEST DICKERSONS/DICKINSONS:

Some Dickerson/Dickinsons were of Anglo-Saxon origin. Walter Dekenson is the first recorded of that name. The Scottish form of Dickconsonne was recorded in 1488. Before that there were no real surnames. Some past authorities have thought that the name (Dickerson/Dickinson/Dykenson and variations thereof) comes from DeCaen, becoming DeCaenSon. The name Caen also comes from Caen or de Caen. Caen and de Caen was a popular name in Normandy in the 12th century, according to The Norman People which was originally published in London in 1874.

"De Caen" is a place name meaning "of" or "from" Caen. Caen is located in Calvados Province, France and it was a seaport. Wharton Dickinson stated that the forerunners of the Dickinsons were from the "de Caen" family tree. This theory has been declared null and void by modern genealogists. However, there was a William de Caen and a Walter de Caen in Norfolk, England. They held greeat estates there in 1130. They may or may not may be "THE" de Caens of royal lineage.

Another version is that the name comes from Dykenson, since their predecessors were in charge of sea walls (dikes/dykes). Both Caen and Kingston-Upon-Hull are on waterways. We know that many Dickinson's were sea captains and merchants in their early days and later when they came to the New World. They traveled the Hull River to other locations in Yorkshire for trading of goods.

We all know that:

• Family names stem from occupations (Smthye)
• Patrimonic names (Anderson, Dickerson, Richardson)
  Son of Anders
  Son of Dick
  Son of Richard

  Place names (De Caen, de Champayne, etc) and

  geographical locations (Wood, Lake, Stream, Hill, etc.)