Hicke Surname History

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Hicke is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from the baptismal name for the son of Haki, which was originally derived from the Scandinavian forename Haki or Hako. 1

This Christian name was popular among the Viking settlers who landed on the shores of England during the 10th and 11th centuries.

Alternatively, the name could have been a Saxon name for hedge. "The word hack is still used in this sense in co. Lincoln." 2

Early Origins of the Hicke family

The surname Hicke was first found in Devon and Cornwall where "a barton called Busvisiek [in the parish of Kenwyn], was for several generations the seat of the Hacche family." 3

The source "Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I." listed Geoffrey de la Hak, Devon 4 and the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Henry Hak, Lincolnshire. 1

Over in Somerset, William Hack was the first listed there, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

Early History of the Hicke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hicke research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1299 is included under the topic Early Hicke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hicke Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Hicke has undergone many spelling variations, including Hack, Hache, Hach, Hacche and others.

Early Notables of the Hicke family

More information is included under the topic Early Hicke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hicke family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Hicke were among those contributors: William Hack who settled in Taunton, Massachusetts in 1640; his son settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.