Dickson

History

"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" (in the earliest record spelled Dicson), meaning "Dick's son" or "Richard's son".

Although long recognised as a Sept of Clan Keith through Thomas Dickson's paternal line, in July 2012 the Clan Douglas Society of North America also recognised the Dickson/Dixon name as a Sept and Allied Family to Clan Douglas. This recognition resulted from the direct connection through Thomas Dickson's mother, Margaret, daughter of William, the 3rd Lord Douglas and also Thomas' faithfulness to the Douglas Clan, notably to his second cousin William, 7th Lord Douglas and William's son the good Sir James, 8th Lord Douglas.

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 re-capture of Douglas Castle 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".

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A. King Dickson (1876–1938), American football coach, lawyer, and banker

Aaron Dickson (born 1980), Northern Irish artist

Adrian Dickson (born 1977), British television personality

Alec Dickson (1914–1994), British activist

Alex D. Dickson (1926–2021), American Anglican bishop

Alex Dickson (boxer) (born 1962), Scottish boxer

Alexander Dickson (British Army officer) (1777–1840), British Army officer

Alexander Dickson (botanist) (1836–1887), Scottish botanist

Alexander George Dickson (1834–1889), British politician

Amanda America Dickson (1849–1893), American slave and socialite

Amy Dickson (born 1982), Australian classical saxophone player

Andrew Dickson (born 1945), English music composer

Andrew Flinn Dickson (1825–1879), American minister and author

Angela Dickson (born 1944), Welsh international badminton player

Anne Dickson (born 1928), Northern Irish politician

Anthony Hampden Dickson (1935–2022), Jamaican clergyman and bishop

B

Barbara Dickson (born 1947), Scottish singer and actress

Barry Dickson (born 1962), Australian neurobiologist

Beatrice Dickson (1852–1941), Swedish philanthropist

Benjamin Abbott Dickson (1897–1976), United States Army colonel

Bertram Dickson (1873–1913), Scottish airman

Billy Dickson (footballer) (born 1945), Scottish footballer

Billy Dickson, American cinematographer and television director

Bob Dickson (born 1944), American professional golfer

Bob Dickson (ice hockey) (born 1947), Canadian ice hockey player

Bobby Dickson (born 1955), Scottish footballer

Brandon Dickson (born 1984), American baseball player

Brenda Dickson (born 1949), American actress

Brent Dickson (born 1941), American judge

Brian Dickson (1916–1998), Chief Justice of Canada from 1984 to 1990

Brice Dickson, Irish legal academic

Bruce Dickson (ice hockey) (1931–2023), Canadian ice hockey player

Bruce Dickson (rower) (1932–2006), Australian rower

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Camilla Dickson (1932–1998), English archaeobotanist

Campbell Dickson (1903–1958), American football player and coach

Camryn Dickson (born 2004), American athlete

Carla Dickson (born 1976), Brazilian politician

Charles de Graft Dickson (1913–1997), Ghanaian educationist and politician

Charles Dickson (merchant) (1746–1796), Canadian politician

Charles Dickson (soldier), Canadian politician

Charles Dickson, Lord Dickson (1850–1922), British politician

Charles Gordon Campbell Dickson (1907–1991), Soft redirect to Wikispecies

Charles Rea Dickson (1858–1938), Advocate for the blind, co-founder of CNIB

Charles Wedderburn Dickson (1863–1934), British-born politician

Charlie Dickson (1934–2013), Scottish footballer

Chris Dickson (footballer) (born 1984), British-born Ghanaian footballer

Chris Dickson (sailor) (born 1961), New Zealand sailor

Christine E. Dickson (born 2000), American cognitive psychologist

Collingwood Dickson (1817–1904), British military officer, VC recipient

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Dale Dickson (born 1962), Australian rules footballer

Dave Dickson (born 1959), US international rugby union player

David C. Dickson (Mississippi politician) (1794–1836), American politician

David Catchings Dickson (1818–1880), American politician

David Dickson (swimmer) (born 1941), Australian freestyle swimmer

David Dickson (minister) (1583–1662), Scottish theologian and minister

David Dickson (surgeon) (1780–1850), Scottish naval surgeon

David Dickson (rugby union) (1900–1978), New Zealand international rugby union player

David Dickson (footballer) (born 1952), Australian rules footballer

Dawn Dickson (born 1979), American businesswoman

Des Dickson (Australian footballer) (born 1941), Australian rules footballer

Des Dickson (footballer, born 1948), Northern Irish footballer

Dorothy Dickson (1893–1995), American actress

Doug Dickson (1894–1960), Australian politician

E

Earle Dickson (1892–1961), American engineer

Ed Dickson (born 1987), American football player

Edward Augustus Dickson (1879–1956), American educator

Edward Dickson (Canadian politician) (1854–1903), Canadian politician

Edward M. Dickson (1912–2000), Massachusetts politician

Edward Stirling Dickson (1765–1844), British naval officer

Edward Thompson Dickson (1850–1938), British Army general

Elias Evander Dickson (1832–1909), American politician

Elizabeth Dickson (1793–1862), British anti-Barbary slaves activist

Elizabeth Dickson (bowls) (died 2022), Scottish lawn bowler

Ellen Dickson (1819–1878), English ballad composer

Emily Dickson (born 1997), Canadian biathlete

Emily Winifred Dickson (1866–1944), Irish doctor, first female Fellow of a Royal College of Surgery

Emma Lucy Dickson (1854–1926), Canadian author

Euan Dickson (1892–1980), New Zealand WW1 bomber pilot

Eva Dickson (1905–1938), Swedish explorer

Evangeline Dickson (1922–2004), British artist

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Fadda Dickson, Ghanaian media executive

Frank Dickson (banker) (1931–2023), New Zealand banker

Frank S. Dickson (1876–1953), American politician

Fred Dickson (1937–2012), Canadian politician

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Gary Dickson, Canadian politician

George Dickson (1921–2020), American football player and coach

George Dickson (cricketer), Australian cricketer

Glenn Dickson (born 1986), New Zealand rugby union player

Glenn Dickson (footballer) (born 1954), Australian rules footballer

Gloria Dickson (1917–1945), American actress

Gordon Dickson (athlete) (1932–2015), Canadian long-distance runner

Gordon Dickson (rugby union) (born 1954), Scotland international rugby union player

Gordon R. Dickson (1923–2001), American science fiction writer

H

H. R. P. Dickson (1881–1959), British colonial administrator

Harlan Dickson (1914–1944), US Navy officer

Harold Dickson (Missouri politician) (1906–1990), American politician

Hedley V. Dickson (1858–1942), Canadian politician

Henry Newton Dickson (1866–1922), British professor of geography

Henry Seriake Dickson (born 1966), Nigerian politician

Herbert Dickson, Scottish footballer

Hilton A. Dickson Jr. (1924–1985), American politician

Hislop Dickson (1933–2024), Scottish cyclist

Hugh Dickson (footballer, born 1899) (1899–1981), Scottish footballer

Hugh Dickson (footballer, born 1981), Northern Irish footballer

Hughie Dickson (1895–1965), English footballer

I

Ian Dickson (TV personality) (born 1963), Australian television personality

Ian Dickson (footballer) (1902–1976), Scottish footballer

Isaac Dickson (1840–1919), American civic leader

Itimi Dickson (born 1983), Singaporean footballer

Ivey Dickson (1919–2014), English pianist, teacher and musical director

J

James Bell Dickson (1923–1944), US Army Air Force pilot in WW2

James Dickson (Queensland politician) (1832–1901), Australian politician

James Dickson (botanist) (1738–1822), Scottish nurseryman and naturalist

James Dickson (merchant) (1784–1855), Scottish-Swedish merchant, industrialist, banker and philanthropist

James Dickson (New Zealand politician) (1854–1937), New Zealand politician

James Dickson (Irish politician) (1859–1941), Irish politician

James Dickson (cricketer) (1887–1970), New Zealand cricketer

James Dickson (New South Wales politician) (1813–1863), Australian politician

James Dickson (priest) (died 1787), Irish Anglican priest

James Dickson (Swedish politician) (1899–1980), Swedish politician, agronomist and chamberlain

James Dickson (rugby union) (1897–1963), Rugby union player from Northern Ireland

James Douglas Hamilton Dickson (1849–1931), Scottish mathematician and expert in electricity

James Fredrik Dickson (1844–1898), Swedish merchant and stable master

James G. Dickson (1891–1962), American mycologist

K

Kari Dickson (born 1966), British translator

Karl Dickson (born 1982), English rugby union player

Ken Dickson (1946–2013), Scottish and British wheelchair curler and Paralympian

Kwesi Dickson (1929–2005), Ghanaian Christian theologian

Kylie Dickson (born 1999), Belarusian artistic gymnast

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Lance Dickson (born 1969), American baseball player

Larry Dickson (born 1938), American racing driver

Lauren Dickson (born 2000), Scottish cyclist

Lawrence Dickson (1920–1944), Tuskegee Airman

Lee Dickson (born 1985), England international rugby union player

Leonard Eugene Dickson (1874–1954), American mathematician

Lillian Dickson (1901–1983), American missionary

Linda Dickson (born 1979), New Zealand sailor

Lothian Sheffield Dickson (1806–1894), British Army officer and campaigner

Lovat Dickson (1902–1987), Canadian publisher and writer

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Maggie Dickson, Scottish 18th-century hanging survivor

Marcus Dickson (born 1928), Sports shooter from Northern Ireland

Margaret H. Dickson (born 1949), American politician

Mark Dickson (tennis) (born 1959), American tennis player

Mark Dickson (footballer) (born 1981), Irish footballer

Mark Lee Dickson (born 1985), American pastor and anti-abortion advocate

Martin B. Dickson (1924–1991), American historian

Mary Bernard Dickson (c. 1811 – 1895), New Zealand nun

Matiu Dickson (1952–2016), New Zealand Māori teacher, lawyer and academic

Maurice Dickson (1882–1940), Scotland dual-international rugby union player & cricketer

Menzies Dickson (1840–1891), American photographer

Michael Dickson (hurdler) (born 1994), American sprinter

Michael Dickson (educator) (born 1977), British-Israeli speaker

Michael Dickson (American football) (born 1996), Australian-born American football player

Michael Dickson (engineer) (1944–2018), British structural engineer

Michael Dickson (skier) (born 1975), Australian alpine skier

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Naomi Dickson (born 2000), British Jewish charity owner

Neely Dickson (1877–1946), American theater impresario

Neil Dickson (born 1951), English actor

Ngila Dickson (born 1958), New Zealand costume designer

Niall Dickson (born 1953), Journalist and health executive

Nicolle Dickson (born 1969), Australian actress

Noel Dickson (born 1933), Australian rules footballer

Norm Dickson (1915–2004), Australian rules footballer

O

O'Koyea Dickson (born 1990), American baseball player

Olle Dickson (1901–1995), Swedish swimmer

Oscar Dickson (1823–1897), Swedish magnate, bulk merchant, industrialist and philanthropist

P

Paul Dickson (American football) (1937–2011), American football player

Paul Dickson (writer) (born 1939), American journalist

Pearl Dickson (1903–1977), American Memphis and country blues singer and songwriter

Peter Dickson (announcer) (born 1957), Northern Irish voice-over artist

Peter Dickson (historian) (1929–2021), British historian

Peter Dickson (rower) (1945–2008), Australian rower

Peter Dickson (footballer) (born 1951), Scottish footballer

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Reecy Dickson (born 1944), American politician

Richard Dickson (curler) (born 1979), Scottish male curler

Richard Dickson (American football) (born 1987), American football player

Richard Watson Dickson (1759–1824), British agriculturalist

Rick Dickson (born 1954), College athletics director

Rita Akosua Dickson (born 1970), Ghanaian chemist

Rob Dickson (1963–2009), Australian rules footballer

Robbie Dickson, British-Canadian engineer

Robert Dickson (architect) (1926–2014), Australian architect

Robert Dickson (writer) (1944–2007), Canadian poet, translator and academic

Robert Dickson (sailor) (born 1998), Irish sailor

Robert Dickson (fur trader) (1765–1823), Canadian fur trader

Robert Dickson (Upper Canada politician) (1796–1846), Canadian lawyer and politician

Robert Dickson (Nova Scotia politician) (1777–1835), Canadian farmer and politician

Robert Dickson (physician) (1804–1875), Scottish physician and botanist

Robert Temple Dickson III (1934–2006), American politician

S

Sam Dickson (1887–1911), American race car mechanic

Sam Dickson (rugby union) (born 1989), New Zealand rugby sevens player

Samuel Auchmuty Dickson (1817–1870), Irish Conservative politician

Samuel Dickson (Australian politician) (1866–1955), Australian politician

Samuel Dickson (American politician) (1807–1858), American politician

Samuel Dickson (died 1850) (1776–1850), Irish Peelite politician

Samuel Henry Dickson (1798–1872), American poet

Samuel J. Dickson (1867–1964), Canadian police chief

Sarah E. Dickson (1880–1965), American Presbyterian elder

Sean Dickson (born 1991), English-South African cricketer

Simon Dickson (born 1982), British tennis player

Sinclair Dickson (1885–1961), Australian rules footballer

Stephen Dickson (executive) (born 1957), American aviator and government official

Stephen Dickson (1951–1991), American baritone

Steve Dickson (born 1962), Australian politician

Stewart Dickson (born 1950), Northern Ireland politician

T

Taylor Dickson (born 1992), American professional golfer

Ted Dickson (1923–1996), British greyhound racing professional trainer

Thomas Alexander Dickson (1833–1909), Irish politician

Thomas Dickson (Nova Scotia politician) (1791–1855), Canadian politician

Thomas Dickson (Scottish politician) (1885–1935), Scottish politician and journalist

Thomas Dickson (sprinter) (born 1974), American sprinter

Thomas Dickson (Upper Canada politician), Canadian politician

Thomas Dickson (industrialist) (1822–1884), American businessman

Thomas Dickson (antiquary) (1825–1904), Scottish antiquary

Thomas Elder Dickson (1899–1978), Scottish artist

Thomas Law Dickson, Nova Scotian politician

Tom Dickson (figure skater) (born 1962), American figure skater

Tom Dickson (Australian footballer) (1888–1958), Australian rules footballer

Tom Dickson (Georgia politician) (born 1945), American politician

Tommy Dickson (1929–2007), Northern Irish footballer

Tory Dickson (born 1987), Australian rules footballer

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Ursula Jones Dickson (born 1968), American attorney and judge

V

Violet Dickson (1896–1991), English botanist, writer, and Orientalist

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W. G. B. Dickson (fl. 1914), Ceylon Defence Force acting commander

Walt Dickson (1878–1918), American baseball player

Walter Brittain Dickson (1847–1916), Canadian politician

Walter Dickson (author) (1916–1990), Swedish author

Walter Hamilton Dickson (1806–1885), Canadian politician

Walter Michael Dickson (1884–1915), Scotland international rugby union player

Will Dickson (born 2004), English association football player

William A. Dickson (1861–1940), American politician

William Angus Dickson (1882–1967), Canadian politician

William B. Dickson (1865–1942), American business executive

William Dickson (RAF officer) (1898–1987), Marshal of the Royal Air Force

William Dickson (footballer, born 1866) (1866–1910), Scottish footballer

William Dickson (Falklands settler) (died 1833), Irish-born Falkland Islands settler

William Dickson (footballer, born 1923), Northern Irish footballer

William Dickson (Australian politician) (1893–1966), English-born Australian politician

X

Xzavier Dickson (born 1992), American football player

Y

Yohanna Dickson (1950–2015), Nigerian military governor