This interesting surname of Scottish and English origin with variant spellings Dickens, Dickings, Dickons, Dykins, etc., is a patronymic from the diminutive of the pet name Dick, itself coming from the personal name Richard, a Germanic name composed of the elements "ric" meaning "power" plus "hard" "brave, hardy or strong". The surname dates back to the early 13th Century, (see below). Further recordings include one John Dycon (1327) "the subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire", Maud Dyconnis and David Dyccons (1327) "the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire". Church recordings include Aaron Dykyns who was christened on August 16th 1555, at St. Michael's, Cornhill, London, Anne, daughter of Edmund and Elizabeth Dikins, was christened on July 1st 1666, at St. Mary Somerset, London, and Thomas Dykins married Charlotte King in March 1811, at Christ Church, Greyfriars, Newgate, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Dicun, which was dated 1203, in the "Assize Court Rolls of Staffordshire", during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.