Daily AncestorDick
Dick is an old nickname for Richard, found in American records of the 1700s and 1800s.
Dick is an old short form of Richard. Charlotte Yonge pointed to Dick for Richard as one of the nicknames that look least like the name behind them.
A gravestone or a family Bible may say Dick while a will or a deed says Richard. Search indexes under both forms so you do not miss him.
As seen in a recordChurch burial register, 1821; his gravestone reads Richard
Dick Gotham, aged 61, buried Nov. 8, 1821
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Dick." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/nicknames/dick. Last checked 2026-10-15.