The Wicks surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 9,489 people carried this name — #3,735 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 31,100 people counted. That is up 3% from 9,190 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Wicks surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the wyke’ — the first of the origins he gives.

His entry covers Wick, Wicks and Wicke.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 810 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

35 families named Wicks, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 212 people lived in those households, 6.1 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

New York 16
Maryland 9
Connecticut 6
Pennsylvania 2
Vermont 1
South Carolina 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. 268 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Wicks in American newspapers,
1888–1922.

Newspaper page from Oxford Democrat carrying the name Wicks
Oxford Democrat 1897-07-06
Newspaper page from The Weekly Messenger carrying the name Wicks
The Weekly Messenger 1888-12-01
Newspaper page from Stone County Enterprise carrying the name Wicks
Stone County Enterprise 1922-12-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 820,504 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Wicks in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

33,425 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wicks. The most, 7,448, date from the 1930s. New South Wales 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 South Australia, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 13,570
South Australia 5,143
Queensland 4,680
Western Australia 4,056
Victoria 3,686
Tasmania 1,878
ACT (Canberra) 260
Northern Territory 20

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

Who carried it

People named Wicks,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Mary Wicks
    Mary Wicks 1819–1898 · artist
  • Moses Langley Wicks
    Moses Langley Wicks 1852–1919 · lawyer
  • John Harris Wicks d. 1817 · writer
  • John Harris Wicks d. 1817 · writer
  • Kevin Wicks d. 2008
  • Michael Wicks 1633–1703 · politician

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 Wicks,
in the records of 9 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 States1,292 records

1,292 records of the Wicks name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 395
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 327
  • Other U.S. records 570
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Louis Smith Wicks

    Born 1920 in Missouri. Enlisted 1944 at Jefferson Barracks; aircraft worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record George S. Wicks

    Born 1912 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia; mechanic from Roane County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Oak Grove Cemetery, Rockwood, Tennessee.

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

    Born 1949; from North Bellmore, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1970 in Quang Tin, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,292 records for Wicks in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · 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).

Australia887 records

887 records of the Wicks name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 302
  • Tasmanian Names Index 275
  • Other Australian records 310
  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 George Wicks

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lord William Bentinck, sailing from Portsmouth in 1838. Native of Worthing, Sussex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 Richard Wicks

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Bussorah Merchant, sailing from Downs in 1829. Native of St Luke's, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1836.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. 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 James Wicks

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Roslyn Castle, sailing from Downs in 1828. Native of Marylebone, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1840. Married 1840 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 25.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 887 records for Wicks 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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (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).

Canada52 records

52 records of the Wicks name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 16
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 12
  • Other Canadian records 24
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Isaac Wicks

    Came to Ontario in 1874 aboard the Sarmatian, landing at Quebec, bound for Mitchell, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Daphne Lilian Joan Wicks

    Buried in 1980 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 59.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Herbert Raymond Wicks

    Died 1952 in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 52 records for Wicks in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand41 records

41 records of the Wicks name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 35
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 3
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Ann Wicks

    Died 1917, aged 79; buried at Rutherford Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Isabel Marriott Wicks

    Died 1975, aged 63; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Brian Kelvin Wicks

    Buried in 1948 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 18.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 41 records for Wicks in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom35 records

35 records of the Wicks name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 30
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Wicks

    Buried in 1836 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 66.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. Wicks

    Royal Berkshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jacob Wicks

    Buried in 1829 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 76.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 35 records for Wicks 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: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the Wicks name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jonas Wicks

    Married in 1771 in Rotterdam; born in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Huberta Helena Wicks

    Born 1923 in Breda.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Breda (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Wicks in the Netherlands.

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

France2 records

2 records of the Wicks name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Nangel Wicks

    Born 1969 in Xx (Guyana); died 1991 in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni (Guyane).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Wicks in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Wicks name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record William Frank Wicks

    Married in 1946 in Aalst; born 1918 in Toronto (Ontario Canada).

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Germany1 record

1 record of the Wicks 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 Wilhelm Wicks

    From Cöln. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 21 March 1917; then reported missing in the list of 16 September 1918.

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

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Wicks.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Wicks is.
A volume says what happened to it.

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