Hicks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the name Hicks are from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the son of Richard. [1] In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early Origins of the Hicks family

The surname Hicks was first found in Yorkshire, where one of the first records of the name was found as a forename as Hikke de Sauteby who was listed there in the Hundredorum Rollsof 1273. [1] “The chancel [of Low Leyton in Essex] contains some elegant monuments of the family of Hickes.” [2]

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Today we typically need to look beyond the spellings of these entries and concentrate on the phonetic appreciation of the names. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Hikke de Sauteby; Johanna Hickson; Henricas Hikson; Willelmus Hykson. [1]

Again in Yorkshire, Richard Hick was registered there in the Subsidy Rolls for 1302 and later, William Hickys was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire in 1332. [3]

Much farther to the south in the parish of St. Ewe in Cornwall, another branch of the family was found. “The manor of Tregain belonged formerly to an ancient family of the same name: in which place they resided until they removed to Golden in Probus; after which it was forfeited in the reign of Elizabeth. When the manor was dismembered, the barton became the property of Hicks, who possessed also the barton of Trevithick in this parish. At this latter place a mansion was erected by this family, in which they continued to reside until the death of John Hicks, Esquire, in 1734, in whom this branch of the family ended.” [4]

Early History of the Hicks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hicks research.

Hicks Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person’s name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Hicks family name include Hicks, Hickes, Hick, Hix and others.

Early Notables of the Hicks family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include Baptist Hicks, 1st Viscount Campden (1551-1629), an English textile merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1621 and 1628; Michael Hicks (1543-1612), an English courtier and politician.

Hicks World Ranking

In the United States, the name Hicks is the 131^st most popular surname with an estimated 171,603 people with that name. [5] However, in Canada, the name Hicks is ranked the 459^thmost popular surname with an estimated 10,429 people with that name. [6] And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Hicks is the 85^th popular surname with an estimated 344 people with that name. [7] Australia ranks Hicks as 285^th with 12,331 people. [8] New Zealand ranks Hicks as 592^nd with 1,212 people. [9] The United Kingdom ranks Hicks as 368^th with 17,035 people. [10]

 Migration of the Hicks family to Ireland

Some of the Hicks family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 Hicks migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Hicks surname or a spelling variation of the name include: 

Hicks Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Robert Hicks, from Surrey, who arrived in Plymouth in 1621 aboard the “Fortune”
• Margaret Winslow Hicks, who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1622 [11]
• Mrs. Margaret Hicks, (Hickes) who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship “Anne” [11]
• Mr. Samuel Hicks, (Hickes), who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship “Anne” [12]
• Miss Lydia Hicks, (Hickes), who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship “Anne” [12]

Hicks Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Chr Hicks, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 [11]
• Mary Hicks, who arrived in Georgia in 1732 [11]

Hicks Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Phinley Hicks, who arrived in America in 1810 [11]
• Arch Hicks, who landed in New York, NY in 1812 [11]
• Maurice Hicks, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 [11]
• John Hicks, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1836 [11]
• Mr. Charles Hicks, (b. 1820), aged 20, Cornish farmer departing from Bristol aboard the ship “Druid” arriving in Ohio, USA on 29 June 1840 [13]

Hicks Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Mr. Mastick Hicks, (b. 1889), aged 11, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship “Oceanic” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th September 1900 en route to Montclair, New Jersey, USA [14]
• Mr. Elijah Hicks, (b. 1862), aged 38, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship “St Louis” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 29th January 1900 en route to New York, USA [14]
• Mrs. Grace Hicks, (b. 1832), aged 68, American returning from St. Austell, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship “Oceanic” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th September 1900 en route to Montclair, New Jersey, USA [14]
• Miss Edith Hicks, (b. 1881), aged 20, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship “Campania” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 31st August 1901 en route to the United States [14]
• Mr. George Hicks, (b. 1842), aged 59, Cornish farmer from St. Stephen, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship “Campania” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 24th August 1901 en route to Washington, USA [14]

 Hicks migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Hicks Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Geo Hicks, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
• John Hicks, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
• Benj Hicks, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
• Mr. Benjamin Hicks U.E. who settled in Marysburgh [Prince Edward County], Ontario c. 1784 [15]
• Mr. Edward Hicks U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 [15]

 Hicks migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: 

Hicks Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Miss Elizabeth Hicks, British Convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 7 years for burglary, transported aboard the “Earl Cornwallis” in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [16]
• Mr. John Hicks, English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Duke of Portland” in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [17]
• Mr. Francis Hicks, English convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for life, transported aboard the “Asiatic” on 5th June 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [18]
• Richard Hicks, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the “Agamemnon” on April 22, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia [19]
• Mr. Joseph Hicks, English convict who was convicted in Bedford, Bedfordshire, Englandfor life, transported aboard the “Claudine” on 19th August 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [20]

 Hicks migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: 

Hicks Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• John Hicks, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
• Charles Hicks, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Aurora” in 1840
• Thomas Hicks, who landed in New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Amelia Thompson
• F D Hicks, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1842
• Francis Hicks, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship “William Watson” in 1859

Contemporary Notables of the name Hicks (post 1700) +

• John Braxton Hicks (1823-1897), English doctor who specialised in obstetrics, Fellow of the Royal Society in 1862, best known for identifying Braxton Hicks contractions or false labour
• Marva Hicks (d. 2022), American R&B singer and actress, best known for her single “Never Been in Love Before”
• Joe R. Hicks (1941-2016), American political commentator and community activist
• Dan Hicks (1951-2020), American actor, best known for starring roles in Evil Dead II, Darkman and Intruder
• John Charles Hicks Jr. (1951-2016), American NFL football offensive lineman, inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame
• Daniel Ivan Hicks (1941-2016), American singer-songwriter
• Thomas Hicks (1875-1963), American Olympic gold medalist for marathon at the 1904 Summer Games
• Thomas John Hicks (b. 1876), American gold medalist track and field athlete at the 1904 Summer Olympics
• Thomas A. Hicks (1918-1992), American bronze medalist bobsledder at the 1948 Winter Olympics
• John Josephus Hicks Jr. (1941-2006), American jazz pianist and composer