Ricks
Usually a patronymic surname meaning “son of Rick,” with Rick itself a short form of Richard.
The #1,950 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 16,684 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Ricks is generally explained as a surname formed from the medieval pet form Rick, a familiar short form of Richard. The final -s is a common English patronymic marker, so the name originally meant “Rick’s son” or “descendant of Rick.” Older surname dictionaries also treat it as a shortened or altered form of Rickson in some cases.
History
The surname is well established in England and later appears in North America and other English-speaking regions. Historical name scholars sometimes grouped Ricks with related spellings such as Rickson, Rix, and Rixon, reflecting the wide variety of medieval and early modern surname spellings. Lower and Bardsley both connect it directly with Richard/Rick, while Harrison gives the same basic patronymic explanation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older records, spellings could shift so much that Ricks, Rix, and Rixon were sometimes treated as near-equivalents by surname writers.
From the historical record
“Riquon is now somewhat rare in France. RICKS, Rick's (Son) 1 „. , RICKSON, Rick's Son /'■ '*'•''*• Rickward "3 Ridley”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)