The Ricks surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 18,506 people carried this name — #1,950 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 15,900 people counted. That is up 6% from 17,474 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Ricks surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Rick + the patronymic suffix -s.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Ricks» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Richard’.

His entry covers Rick and Ricks.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 645 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

26 families named Ricks, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 156 people lived in those households, 6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 16
Pennsylvania 3
New Hampshire 2
New York 2
Virginia 2
Maryland 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 259 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Ricks in American newspapers,
1894–1907.

Newspaper page from The Evening Bulletin carrying the name Ricks
The Evening Bulletin 1894-11-27
Newspaper page from The Republican carrying the name Ricks
The Republican 1900-03-15
Newspaper page from Cameron County Press carrying the name Ricks
Cameron County Press 1907-12-12

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Ricks in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

2,803 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ricks. The most, 543, date from the 1910s. Queensland has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 2.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 704
South Australia 679
Western Australia 578
New South Wales 420
Victoria 369
Tasmania 40
ACT (Canberra) 12

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ricks.

Who carried it

People named Ricks,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Joel Ricks
    Joel Ricks 1804–1888
  • Martha Ann Erskine Ricks
    Martha Ann Erskine Ricks 1817–1901 · visual artist
  • Martha Ann Erskine Ricks
    Martha Ann Erskine Ricks 1817–1901 · visual artist
  • Thomas Edwin Ricks
    Thomas Edwin Ricks 1828–1901 · Christian minister
  • Henrietta Christina Joanna Ricks d. 1844
  • Helen Dora Isabella Ricks d. 1874

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Ricks,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,064 records

1,064 records of the Ricks name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 569
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 237
  • Other U.S. records 258
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Clarence Ricks

    Born 1897 in California. Enlisted 1942 at San Francisco; farm manager from Sonoma County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1971, buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Ronald Glenn Ricks

    Born 1946; from Dallas, Texas. U.S. Army, aircraft maintenance apprentice; killed in action 1971 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Diedrich Ricks

    Arrived at New York in 1860 aboard the Elena from Bremen, aged 23; farmer. From Hanover, Germany; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,064 records for Ricks in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Germany32 records

32 records of the Ricks name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Jürgen Ricks

    Born 1885; from Altona. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 30 December 1916.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Anton Ricks

    From Nieheim. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 31 January 1916 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 256).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Otto Ricks

    From Alt Kosenow, Anklam. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 14 July 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 32 records for Ricks in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Australia27 records

27 records of the Ricks name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 14
  • Tasmanian Names Index 6
  • Other Australian records 7
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Charles Ricks

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Layton, sailing from London in 1839. Native of Porton, Wiltshire.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Geo Ricks

    Arrived in Queensland in 1883 aboard the Hampshire, aged 5.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Stanley Frederick Henry Ricks

    Boilermaker of The Gurdies, Victoria; died 2000.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 27 records for Ricks in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands18 records

18 records of the Ricks name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 10
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 5
  • Dutch population registers 3
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jean Ricks

    Died 1812 in Duinkerken, France, aged 23; sailor.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Thomas Ricks

    Married in 1657 in Bergen op Zoom; born in England.

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Barbera Ricks

    Buried in 1717 in Cool.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 18 records for Ricks in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Canada11 records

11 records of the Ricks name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 6
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 2
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Cyril G. Ricks

    Lost in the sinking of the Titanic, 1912, aged 26; a crew member. Body recovered.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Robert Ricks

    Came to Ontario in 1875 aboard the Vicksburgh, landing at Quebec, bound for NewMarket, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Mary Lucy Ann Ricks

    Buried in 1999 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 76.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 11 records for Ricks in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom7 records

7 records of the Ricks name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 6
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. G. Ricks

    Northamptonshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Ricks

    Royal West Kent Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 2 of 7 records for Ricks in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Ricks.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Ricks is.
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