Hixson
A patronymic surname meaning “son of Hick,” ultimately from Richard.
The #5,433 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 48,181 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hixson is an English patronymic surname built from the pet form Hick, itself a medieval diminutive of Richard. The ending -son means “son of,” so the name originally meant “son of Hick” or “son of Richard.” Historical spelling varied a lot, which is why forms such as Hickson, Hixon, Hikson, and Hix appear alongside Hixson.
History
Bardsley treats Hixson as a variant within the Hickson family of surnames, with examples in England and in Boston, showing that the name was already in use on both sides of the Atlantic by the 19th century. The surname is relatively uncommon today, but it belongs to the broader English pattern that produced many Richard-based surnames such as Dixon and Rickson. The spelling stabilized in several related forms rather than one single standard shape.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley groups Hixson with a whole cluster of Richard-based surnames, including Dixon, Rixon, and Coxon, all formed in much the same nickname-and-son way.
From the historical record
“Hix.-~Bapt ' the son ofRichard/ a variant of Hick, q.v. ; v. Hixson ; cf. Dixon for Dickson, or Dix for Dicks, from the same personal name Richard. i6«t. Hamphrey Bedingfield and Abi-”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)