Contents [hide]

Peek History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Peek History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The history of the Peek family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Staffordshire. The surname of Peak derives from the Old English word pekke, indicating the top of a mountain or hill, and was a local name distinguishing a person who lived by a prominent peak. 1

Early Origins of the Peek family

The surname Peek was first found in Suffolk where Uluric Pec was listed at Bury St Edmunds c. 1095, nine years after the Domesday Book of 1086. Oxfordshire is the next entry: Richard de Pec who was listed at Eynsham in 1192. 2

As noted, most sources point to Staffordshire as to where the family hails. Staffordshire was where "among the earliest known bearers of the name are Richard del Pech or del Pek (d. 1196), son of Ranulf, Sheriff of Nottingham, and Willielmus Piec, who was in Winchester in 1194." 3 "The Peakes of Staffordshire were represented in Shropshire in the 13th century by the Piks and Pickes." 4

And two sources note Derbyshire, where the name was derived from "a pointed hill, as the Peak in Derbyshire" 5 and "one who came from Peak (hill), in Derbyshire." 6 "The Peak District, Derbyshire, is referred to as Peac lond in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, A.D. 924." 7

"The Peakes of Llewenny, co. Denbigh, have been seated there apparently from the XIV. century, and there is little doubt of their extraction from Thomas del Peke, to whom Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, about the year 1284, granted a burgage, &c., within the walls of Denbigh. As Llewennie was included within De Lacy's barony, it seems probable that it was granted at the same period. The family went into Wales in 1283, with King Edward I., doubtless as feudatories of the De Lacys. Harl. M.S. 1933. See B.L.G. The etymology of the name is the same as that of Peak." 5

Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time. William de Peke was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296 and William atte Peke was listed in Devon in 1321. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists: Isabell del Pek; and Martyn del Pek. 1

Early History of the Peek family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peek research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1283, 1284, 1551, 1592, 1619, 1667 and 1668 are included under the topic Early Peek History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peek Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Peek family name include MacPeake, Peak, Peake and others.

Early Notables of the Peek family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir William Peake of Achurch; Robert Peake the Elder (c. 1551-1619), an English painter; and Sir Robert Peake (ca. 1592-1667), English print-seller and Royalist, he was exiled for refusing...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Peek Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peek Ranking

In the United States, the name Peek is the 3,174^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 8 However, in Netherlands, the name Peek is ranked the 806^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,416 people with that name. 9

Migration of the Peek family to Ireland

Some of the Peek family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peek migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Peek family to immigrate North America:

Peek Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jan Peek, who landed in New York in 1654 10

Peek Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Peek, who arrived in America in 1760-1763 10

Peek Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Eliza E. A. Peek, aged 60, who landed in America, in 1892
Fredk. Peek, aged 5, who landed in America from Foleshill, in 1895
Conrad Peek, aged 45, who landed in America, in 1896

Peek Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Clara Peek, aged 45, who settled in America, in 1904
Ruth L. Peek, aged 12, who settled in America, in 1905
Agnus Wolfe Peek, aged 48, who immigrated to America, in 1907
Charles Peek, aged 27, who landed in America from London, England, in 1910
Cora Belle Peek, aged 52, who immigrated to the United States, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Peek migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Peek Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Caleb Peek U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1786 he served in the Royal Regiment of New York 11

Peek migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Peek Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Peek, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "William Watson" in 1849 12
Deborah Peek, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "William Watson" in 1849 12
David Peek, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "William Watson" in 1849 12
Harriet Peek, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "William Watson" in 1849 12
Mary Peek, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "William Watson" in 1849 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Peek migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Peek Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Henry Peek, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "John Scott" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 7th March 1858 13
Mr. Thomas Peek, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Excelsior" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 17th March 1859 13
Mr. William J. Peek, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Excelsior" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 17th March 1859 13
Mrs. Mary Peek, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Excelsior" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 17th March 1859 13
Miss Mary F. Peek, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Excelsior" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 17th March 1859 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Peek (post 1700) +

Major-General Ernest Dichmann Peek (1878-1950), American Commanding General 9th Corps Area (1940-1941) 14
Laurence Kim Peek (1951-2009), American savant, inspiration for the character of Raymond Babbitt, played by Dustin Hoffman in the movie Rain Man (1988)
Daniel Milton "Dan" Peek (1950-2011), American musician, best known as a member of the rock band America (1970 to 1977)
Antwan Peek (b. 1979), American football linebacker in the NFL
Burton F. Peek (1872-1960), American who served as both President and Chairman of Deere & Company
John M. Peek, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Indiana, 1916 15
Harmanus Peek (1782-1838), American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Schenectady County, 1816-17; U.S. Representative from New York 13th District, 1819-21 15
Eber L. Peek, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Michigan Democratic State Central Committee, 1899 15
David Peek, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 2008 15
Burton F. Peek, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1928 15
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The barque WILLIAM WATSON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849WilliamWatson.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Ernest Peek. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Peek/Ernest_Dichmann/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html