Surname Rickens - Meaning and Origin
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Rickens: What does the surname Rickens mean?
The last name Rickens is of English origin. It is an occupational surname derived from the Old English pre-7th century word ric which means "rich." This surname was most likely originally borne by someone who had become wealthy or was associated with a person who was wealthy.
Later, Rickens became a toponymic surname, one associated with a particular place. It may have referred to someone who originally lived near a strongly flowing river. This suggests that the surname derived from the Old English ric meaning "strife, contention, or force,” and the Old English suffix -nes meaning "headland or neck of land" or simply "enclosure." Put together, the word could mean "strife-enclosure," suggesting a place with powerful water.
In Medieval England, Rickens was likely a local name for someone who resided near a powerful river. As trades and skills became more specialized, this name may have been connected to someone who had become involved in the fishing industry.
Today, the Rickens surname is scattered across the English-speaking world, including in Britain, North America, Asia, Australia, and elsewhere. Though they may be found in many places, the last name Rickens often denotes a lineage of people who originally came from Britain.
Order DNA origin analysisRickens: Where does the name Rickens come from?
The last name Rickens is most commonly found in the United States today. According to the 2016 US Census, there were nearly 8,000 individuals with the last name Rickens. Locations within the United States with large numbers of individuals with the last name include Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina and Virginia.
Wisconsin has the highest population of Rickens individuals with a reported 648 in 2016. Illinois was the second most common state with 598 individuals with the last name Rickens. Michigan is next with 490, North Carolina has 265 and Virginia has 225.
Other US states with Rickens individuals include Minnesota (160), New York (144), California (121), Ohio (88), Pennsylvania (62) and Texas (53).
Outside the United States, the last name Rickens is reported in only a few small countries. England has a reported 80 individuals with the last name, followed by Canada with 34 and Australia with 20.
The last name Rickens is of German origin. It likely arrived in the United States in the late 1800s to early 1900s, with large numbers of German immigrants entering the US during the 19th century. It is possible that the last name Rickens is descended from German-speaking settlers in colonial America, which could explain the high numbers of Rickens individuals found in the landlocked states within the Midwestern and Southeastern United States.
Variations of the surname Rickens
The surname Rickens is a derived from a variety of sources, including ancient German, Celtic, and Old French. As a surname, it has been spelled many different ways, as given names have been used, languages have changed, and spellings of the same name have been altered over time.
The most common variant spellings are Rickens, Rickenz, Rikens, Rekens, Rieckens, Rieckens, Ricken, Rickin, Ryckens, Rikkans, and Rykens.
Rickens is also a German surname, which is sometimes spelled "Reickens." This spelling is more common in the United States, where many German immigrants assimilated their surnames to Americanized spellings. Another variant spelling of Rickens is "Ricken," which is common in countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, the surname is often spelled "Rikens," while in Scotland it is often spelled "Rykens."
Other variants from the Germanic region include Richenz, Rickensohn, Richens, Rickers, Richerson, and Rychener. Variations derived from the Old French surname "Recques" include Recken, Reccon, Rechen, Riche, Reecken, Ricke, Ritchi, and Ricconi.
In Celtic areas such as England, Wales, and Scotland, the surname is also sometimes spelled "Rikens," which is the Anglicized version of the Welsh surname "Rhicens" and the Scottish surname "Rykens." In Northern Ireland, the surname is sometimes spelled "Ricnone," and Native American spellings include "Recken," "Rikin," and "Ryken."
Famous people with the name Rickens
- Tim Rickens: American comedian, best known for his comedic performance in the Netflix special “Tim Rickens: I Know What I’m Doing”.
- Aurelia Rickens: American actress, famous for her roles in “The Flash”, “Creed 2” and “Gotham”.
- Tracy Rickens: American vocalist, known for her work in the band Ghost of September and for featured work on the Grammy winning album “Foggy Mirrors”.
- Jake Rickens: British actor, famous for his roles in “24 Hours in London”, “Home of Champions” and “How Not to be Alone Again”.
- Paul Rickens: French actor, renowned for his roles in the films “Trouble in Paradise”, “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Vengeance of the Bride”.
- Glenn Rickens: American professional golfer who won the U.S. Open in 2005.
- Cynthia Rickens: Canadian professional figure skater, winner of the gold medal at the Canadian Skating Championships in 2005.
- Yolanda Rickens: British beauty pageant contestant, winner of Miss United Kingdom in 2005.
- Mason Rickens: Australian soccer player, famous for his stint at the Perth Glory and Newcastle Jets.
- Luke Rickens: British actor who has appeared in some of the biggest stage and television productions in the UK.