Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Dickson (surname)

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Dickson or, as is common in England, "Dixon," is a patronymic surname, traditionally Scottish and thought to have originated upon the birth of the son of Richard Keith, son of Hervey de Keith, Earl Marischal of Scotland, and Margaret, daughter of the 3rd Lord of Douglas. "Nisbet in his Heraldry (Edinburgh 1722) says 'The Dicksons are descendants from Richard Keith, said to be a son of the family of Keith, Earls Marischals of Scotland' and in proof thereof carry the chief of Keith Marischal. This Richard was commonly called Dick and the 'son' was styled after him. The affix of son in the Lowlands answering the prefix Mac in the Highlands." As a result, Clan Dickson is considered a sept of Clan Keith. Richard Keith's son, Thomas, took the surname "Dickson," meaning "Dick's son" or "Richard's son." Thomas Dickson (1247–1307) himself has quite a history. He was associated in some way with William Wallace, and was killed by the English in 1307 in battle. Tradition states he was slashed across the abdomen but continued fight holding the abdominal wound closed with one hand until he finally dropped dead. He is buried in the churchyard of St Brides, Douglas, and his marker shows him with a sword in one hand holding his belly with the other. Robert the Bruce made him Castellan of Castle Douglas the year before he was killed.

The Dicksons/Dixons (and 30 other derivates) family name was first found in Scotland whilst the Dixons in England who are of Scottish descent from Thomas Dickson living in 1268 are of the same origin as the Scottish Dicksons. Early records show Thomas Dicson, a follower of the Douglas clan, at the capture of Castle Douglas in 1307.

The Dickson's coat of arms show the Keith "pallets gules" and the Douglas "mullets argent", this is to show their descent from these two ancient Scottish noble families. The family mottoes include "Fortes fortuna juvat", "Coelum versus", for Dickson: translated as "Fortune favours the brave", Heavenward"; whilst "Quod dixi dixi" Dixon, is translated as "What I have said I have said".

Notable Dicksons

  • Adrian Dickson (born 1977), British broadcaster
  • Alexander Dicsone (1558 - c1603), Scottish writer and agent
  • Major General Sir Alexander Dickson (1777–1840), British Army officer
  • Alexander Dickson (1857 - 1949), British rosarian
  • Alexander George Dickson (1834–1889), British politician
  • Andrew Dickson White (1832–1918), American diplomat, author and educator, co-founder of Cornell University
  • Anne Dickson (born 1928), Northern Ireland politician
  • Barbara Dickson (born 1947), British actress and singer
  • Bertram Dickson (1873 - 1913), British aviation pioneer
  • Brenda Dickson (born 1949), American actress
  • Brian Dickson (1916–1998), Canadian judge, and Chief Justice of Canada 1984–1990
  • Brice Dickson (living), Irish academic
  • Bob Dickson (born 1944), American golfer
  • Byron W. Dickson (1875–1930), American athlete and coach
  • Carter Dickson, pen name of John Dickson Carr (1906–1977), American mystery writer
  • Charles Dickson, Lord Dickson (1850–1922), Scottish judge and politician
  • Charlie Dickson (1934–2013), Scottish footballer
  • Chris Dickson (disambiguation)
  • Clarissa Dickson Wright (born 1947), British food writer
  • Colin Dickson (born 1956), British rosarian
  • General Sir Collingwood Dickson (1817–1904), British Army officer and Victoria Cross recipient
  • Sir David Dickson (1780-1850) senior British naval surgeon
  • Des Dickson (footballer) (born 1948), Northern Irish footballer and manager
  • Dorothy Dickson (1893–1995), American actress
  • Earle Dickson (1892–1961), American inventor of adhesive bandages
  • Emily Winifred Dickson (1866-1944), First woman Fellow of a College of Surgeons in Great Britain or Ireland
  • Eva Dickson (1905-1938), Swedish explorer
  • Fiona Dickson (born 1940), British dancer
  • Honourable Frederick Dickson (1937-2012), Canadian Senator, Government of Canada (politician and lawyer)
  • Frank S. Dickson (1876–1973), American politician
  • Gary Dickson (living), Canadian politician
  • Gloria Dickson (1917–1945), American actress
  • Gordon R. Dickson (1923–2001), Canadian science fiction writer
  • Lieutenant Colonel H. R. P. Dickson (1881–1959), British political agent in the Middle East, and author of several books on Kuwait
  • Lieutenant Commander Harlan Dickson (1920–1944), American naval officer
  • Harry Dickson, fictional detective
  • Henry Newton Dickson (1866-1922), oceanographer and meteorologist
  • Herbert Dickson, Scottish footballer
  • Hugh Dickson (footballer, born 1899), Scottish footballer
  • Ian Dickson (born 1963), Australian music business figure and TV personality
  • Itimi Dickson (born 1983), Nigerian-Singaporean football player
  • James Dickson (disambiguation)
  • Jane Dickson (born 1952), American painter
  • Jason Dickson (born 1973), Canadian baseball player
  • Major-General Sir Jeremiah Dickson, Governor of Nova Scotia
  • Joe Dickson (living), Canadian politician
  • John Dickson (disambiguation)
  • John Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington (1866–1936), British politician
  • Joseph Dickson (1745–1825), American politician
  • Julie Dickson, Canadian public servant
  • Lee Dickson (born 1985), British rugby player
  • Lance Dickson (born 1969), American baseball player
  • Larry Dickson (born 1938), American racing driver
  • Leonard Eugene Dickson (1874–1954), American mathematician
  • Margaret H. Dickson (living), American politician
  • Michael Dickson (Irish republican) (born 1964), IRA member
  • Michael Dickson (engineer) (born 1944), British structural engineer
  • Murry Dickson (1916–1989), American baseball player
  • Neil Dickson (living), British actor
  • Ngila Dickson (born 1958), New Zealand costume designer
  • Nicolle Dickson (born 1969), Australian actress
  • Oscar Dickson, 1st Baron Dickson (1823–1897), Swedish Explorer and philanthropist
  • Paul Dickson (living), American writer
  • Paul Dickson (football player) (born 1937), American football player
  • Peter Dickson (presenter), British radio personality
  • Peter Dickson (footballer) who played for Scottish clubs Albion Rovers and Queen of the South
  • Renn Dickson Hampden (1793–1868), English bishop
  • Rick Dickson (living), American athletics director
  • Robert Dickson (disambiguation)
  • Rob Dickson (1963–2009), Australian rules footballer and film director
  • Ryan Dickson (born 1986), English footballer
  • Samuel Dickson (American politician) (1807–1858), American politician
  • Samuel Henry Dickson (1798–1872), American poet, physician, writer and educator
  • Temple Dickson (1934–2006), American lawyer and politician
  • Thomas Dickson (disambiguation)
  • Tom Dickson (living), American figure skater
  • Tommy Dickson (1929–2007), Northern Ireland footballer
  • Tricia Dickson (living), American voice actor
  • Dame Violet Dickson (1896–1991), British author and botanist
  • Walter Hamilton Dickson (1806–1885), Canadian politician
  • William Dickson (disambiguation)
  • References

    Dickson (surname) Wikipedia