History of the Dickson family name
This Dickson family traces their origins back to Scotland. They are descended from one Richard Keith, said to be a son of the family of Keiths Earls Marshall of Scotland. "This Richard was commonly called Dick, and his sons were styled after him, the affix of son in the Lowlands answering to the prefix of Mac in the Highlands."
"It is probable that Richard Keith was the son of the Great Marshal Hervey de Keth, who died in 1249, and his wife, Margaret, daughter of William third Lord Douglas."
"Thomas Dicson (Dycson), Laird of Symonston and Hesleside, county Lanark, and Castellan of Douglas, son of Dick de Keth, was born A. D. 1247, and if grandson of the aforesaid Hervey de Keth was then also second cousin to William seventh Lord Douglas, father of the good Sir James eighth Lord."
"After the capture of Berwick in 1295, Sir William Douglas wished to recover his castle of Sanquhar, then held by the English who had laid waste to all the surrounding country, and accordingly as the Minstrel says, went to ‘a young man that hardy was and bauld, born till him selff and Thom Dycson was cauld; der freynd he said I wald preyff at my mycht, and mak a fray to fals Bewfurd the knycht, in Sanquhar duellys and does full gret owtrage than Dycson said my self in that wiage, sall for you pass with Anderson to spek'"
"Anderson supplied the castle daily with fuel and Dycson persuaded him to lend him his apparel and car. At night Douglas with thirty men concealed himself in a ravine near the castle."
"It was just daybreak, Anderson arranged the load and gave Dycson his clothes. The porter opened the castle gates and when the cart was between them, Dycson with one blow, cut loose the piece of harness by which the horse was attached so that the load stuck fast, preventing the closing of the gates. He then killed the porter with his knife and seizing the axe that Anderson had told him of beckoned therewith to the ambush who rushed forward, slew the three wardens and took possession before the garrison were out of their beds."
"The English soon, however, laid siege to the castle and Douglas led Dycson out through some postern or secret passage mounted on a fleet horse to warn Sir William Wallace. ‘Thom Dycson than was met with good Wallace quhilk grantyt some to reskew Douglace, Dycson he said wait thow thair multipli three thousand men thair power mycht nocht be.'"
"The English having notice of Wallace's approach, raised the siege and retreated, but were overtaken and lost five hundred men. For this and other services Dycson received the lands of Hisleside or Hazelside, about ten miles west of Douglas, where there is still a house bearing the name."
Dycson must have done such a good service to his country, for ten years later, King Robert Bruce, in 1306, gave "Thomas, filius Richardi (son of Richard), the barony of Symundstun in the county of Lanark, and created Hereditary Castellan or Governor of Douglas Castle."
Douglas then by Dycson aid, recaptured his castle of Douglas from the English, but "being oppressed by the multitude of his enemies, Dycson was himself cut down and slain."
Thomas Dycson was killed on Palm Sunday, March 19th, 1307, aged sixty.
From this point, one his sons, Thomas Dicson II and his descendants took on the name Symonston, "and with them we have no more to do." But the other sons of Dick de Keith and Thomas Dycson I retained the patronymic name, and from then the clan was derived.
(all text quoted is from the "Genealogy of the Dickson Family" written by William B. Dickson in 1908.)