Wike History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Wike family lived in Sussex. The name, however, derives from the Old English word wic, which describes someone who lives at an outlying settlement.

Early Origins of the Wike family

The surname Wike was first found in Surrey at Wyke, a tything, in the parish of Worplesdon, union of Guildford, First division of the hundred of Woking. "This place is mentioned in Domesday Book under the name of Wucha, and at an early period was held by a family called De Wyke." 1

Another branch of the family was found at Yatton in Somerset. "The greater portion of [the church of Yatton] appears to have been rebuilt in the 15th century, by the Wyck family, to one of whom is a monument bearing his effigy, in the north transept." 1

Thomas de Wykes (fl. 1258-1293), the English chronicler, took the habit of a canon regular at Osney Abbey, near Oxford, on 14 April 1282. "He mentions in his chronicle various namesakes and probable kinsfolk, including Robert de Wykes (d. 1246), Edith de Wyke (d. 1269), and John de Wykes, who in 1283 took a 'votum profectionis'. The name is a fairly common one, both as a personal and a place name, so that it is highly unsafe to identify him with other bearers of the same name, such as Thomas de Wyke, priest, who before 1249 wished to become a Franciscan friar." 2

Early History of the Wike family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wike research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1086, 1222, 1293, 1430, 1554, 1593, 1621, 1627, 1628, 1632, 1641, 1643, 1683, 1684, 1699, 1703 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Wike History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wike Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Weekes, Weeks, Wikes, Wykes, Wyke, Wix, Wicks, Weykes and many more.

Early Notables of the Wike family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Wykes (1222-c.1293), English chronicler, a canon regular of Oseney Abbey, near Oxford; Thomas Wykes (died c.1430), Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire; Thomas Wykes (fl. 1554), of Moreton Jeffries, Herefordshire, an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Leominster in November 1554; Richard Wyche (or Wiche) (1554-1621), a...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wike Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wike Ranking

In the United States, the name Wike is the 12,114^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Wike migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Wike or a variant listed above:

Wike Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Alex Wike, who arrived in Virginia in 1642 4
John Wike, who arrived in Virginia in 1697 4

Wike Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Wike, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 4

Wike Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

S H Wike, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1804 4
Christian Wike, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1804 4
Elena Elith Wike, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1804 4
Mr. Heinr. Wike, aged 29, who arrived in New Orleans in 1845 aboard the ship "Agnes"

Contemporary Notables of the name Wike (post 1700) +

William Dallas Wike (b. 1867), American Democratic Party politician, Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives from Jackson County, 1913-14 5
Scott Wike (1834-1901), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Illinois State Legislature; U.S. Representative from Illinois, 1875-77, 1889-93 5
E. H. Wike, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Broome County 2nd District, 1924 5
Tony Wike, American voice actor and broadcaster
David Wike, American film and stage actor, writer, director and musician
Scott Wike Lucas (1892-1968), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1939-51; defeated, 1950; Candidate for Democratic nomination for Vice President, 1944 6

The Wike Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Cari Deo nihilo carent
Motto Translation: Those dear to God want nothing.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html