DIXON
Dixon is a surname of English and Scottish provenance, classified as a patronymic formation derived from the medieval personal name Dick, itself a diminutive of Richard. The name is recorded primarily within the British Isles, especially in England and Scotland, and is associated with the Christian tradition of the region.
The etymology of Dixon traces to the Germanic elements ric meaning “ruler” and hard meaning “brave”, “strong” or “hardy”. These components combine in the personal name Richard, which was introduced to England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066. The pet form Dick gave rise to the patronymic suffix -son, producing the literal meaning “son of Dick” or “son of Richard”.
Documentary evidence of the surname appears in medieval court records. The earliest appearance of the personal name is the 1220 Curia Rolls of Lancashire, which mention a “Dicke Smith”. In the Assize Court Rolls of Cheshire (1260) the form “Dik” is recorded, and the patronymic “Dikson” is first attested in the 1332 Subsidy Rolls of Cumberland. The spelling “Thom Dicson” occurs in Castle Douglas, Scotland, in 1307, during the reign of King Robert “The Bruce”.
Geographically, the surname is concentrated in the English counties of Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumberland, and in the northern Scottish shires such as Dumfriesshire. Its distribution reflects the historical diffusion of the name Richard and its diminutives throughout the Anglo‑Germanic linguistic sphere.
Notable bearers include George Dixon (died 1800), who served aboard Captain Cook’s vessel *Resolution* and discovered the Queen Charlotte Islands, and Robert Dixon (died 1688), a Cambridge alumnus who was imprisoned for his refusal to accept the Solemn League and Covenant in 1644. A coat of arms was granted to George Dixon of Rainshaw, Durham, on 14 September 1616, further evidencing the family’s established status.
Typical given names associated with the Dixon surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Janet
- Joanne
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Dixon in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Dixon are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Dark Chocolate Digestive.
There are approximately 61,166 people named Dixon in the UK. That makes it the 109th most common surname in Britain. Around 939 in a million people in Britain are named Dixon.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Dixon
- Alesha Dixon - Singer, dancer, rapper, model and television presenter
- Lee Dixon - Football player
- Darren Dixon - MC
- Kerry Dixon - Football player
- Tom Dixon - UK industrial designer
- John Christopher Dixon - Actor
- Dougal Dixon - Author
- Stephen Dixon - Newsreader
- Jeremiah Dixon - Astronomer (1733 to 1779)
- Joe Dixon - Actor
- David Dixon - Actor
- Lucy Dixon - Actress
- Peter Dixon - Rugby union player
- Pierson Dixon - Diplomat (1904 to 1965)
- Reginald Dixon - Theatre organist (1904 to 1985)
- Chuck Dixon - American comic book writer
- Robin Dixon, 3rd Baron Glentoran - Politician, military officer, and bobsledder
- Terry Dixon - -born Irish professional association football
- Jonathan Dixon - Actor
- Alyson Dixon - Athletics competitor
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.