Contents [hide]

Pike History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Pike History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Early Origins of the Pike family

The surname Pike was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where the family was found since the early Middle Ages. The name is generally understood to be an occupational name for someone who used a pick or made picks for use in the many agricultural areas of this county and adjacent ones. The name was originally derived from the Middle English work "pik." However, the name could also have been derived from the Norman French personal name "Picon." Further south in England, the name could also have been a local name, derived from locals like Langdale Pikes.

Early History of the Pike family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pike research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1590, 1621, 1624, 1769, 1816 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Pike History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pike Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Pick, Picke, Pickin, Picken, Pickins, Pickens, Pickon, Pickons, Pike and many more.

Early Notables of the Pike family

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

Pike World Ranking

In the United States, the name Pike is the 1,138^th most popular surname with an estimated 27,357 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Pike is ranked the 856^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,228 people with that name. 2 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Pike is the 22^nd popular surname with an estimated 747 people with that name. 3 Australia ranks Pike as 577^th with 6,700 people. 4 New Zealand ranks Pike as 835^th with 871 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Pike as 544^th with 11,901 people. 6

Migration of the Pike family to Ireland

Some of the Pike family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pike migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pike Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. Robert Pike, who left England and arrived in Maryland in 1634 aboard the ship "Ark and Dove" 7
Mr. Michael Pike, who left England and arrived in Maryland in 1634 aboard the ship "Ark and Dove" 7
John Pike, from Langford, who arrived in New England aboard the ship "James" in 1635, bound for Newbury 8
Dorothy and Robert Pike who, who settled in Massachusetts in 1635
Robert Pike, who landed in New England in 1635 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pike Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samuel Pike, aged 28, who arrived in New York in 1812 9
Benjamin Pike, aged 38, who landed in New York in 1812 9
James Pike, aged 16, who landed in Portsmouth, NH in 1831 9
Henry Walker Pike, who landed in Mississippi in 1852 9
Charles, Henry, John, and William Pike all, who arrived in Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1860
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pike migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pike Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Pike, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1778
Mr. Joshua Pike U.E. who settled in Parr Town, Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 10

Pike migration to Australia +

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

Pike Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Stephen Pike, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Theodore Pike, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. Joseph Pike, (b. 1808), aged 21, English ploughman who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 14 years for house breaking, transported aboard the "Claudine" on 19th August 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1886 13
John Pike, English convict from London, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on November 13, 1832, settling in New South Wales, Australia 14
Mr. Henry Pike, English convict who was convicted in Leeds, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Aurora" on 3rd November 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pike Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

"Mrs. Mary Pike, (b. 1807), aged 21, English convict who was convicted in Sussex, England for 7 years for robbery, transported aboard the ""Competitor"" on 9th June 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia" 16

Pike 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:

Pike Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Janet Pike, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
Miss Janet Pike, (b. 1821), aged 19, British servant travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 17
William Pike, aged 29, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 18
Elizabeth Pike, aged 31, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 18
Lucy Pike, aged 20, a domestic servant, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "John Wickliffe" in 1848 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pike migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 19

Pike Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. John Pike, (b. 1605), aged 30, British settler travelling aboard the ship "Expedition" arriving in Barbados in 1636 20

Contemporary Notables of the name Pike (post 1700) +

Mark Harold Pike (1963-2021), American football linebacker, defensive end and special teamer who played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Buffalo Bills (1986-1998)
David Samuel Pike (1938-2015), American jazz vibraphone and marimba player, known for his work with Herbie Mann, Bill Evans, Nick Brignola, Paul Bley and Kenny Clarke
Jay Scott Pike (1924-2015), American comic book artist and commercial illustrator, known for his work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, creator of the DC character Dolphin
Lieutenant Colonel Emory Jenison Pike (1876-1918), United States Army officer during World War I, recipient of the Medal of Honor
Sumner Tucker Pike (1891-1976), American administrator, chairman of Atomic Energy Commission (1950)
Kenneth Lee Pike (b. 1912), American linguist, founder of tagmemics
Albert Pike (1809-1891), American Freemasonry reformer
Zebulon Montgomery Pike (1779-1813), US army officer and explorer, eponym of Pike's Peak
Richard Pike (1834-1893), Newfoundland master-mariner, born at Carboniere in Conception Bay
Sir Michael Edmund Pike KCVO CMG (1931-2022), British diplomat, First Secretary to the British Embassy in Washington, DC, in 1973, British Ambassador to Vietnam from 1982 to 1985
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Pike family +

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. John William Pike (1921-1941), Australian Able Seaman from Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 21

HMS Hood

Mr. William A Pike (b. 1920), English Musician serving for the Royal Marine Band from Westbury, Wiltshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 22

HMS Royal Oak

Albert Charles Pike (1914-1939), British Marine with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 23

SS Southern Cross

Mr. Alfred Pike (1879-1914), Newfoundlander from Carbonear who was aboard the "SS Southern Cross" when it is suspected she sank between the 31st March 1914 and early April during the storm with a heavy load of pelts; no survivors were ever found

St. Francis Dam

Mr. Richard Earl Pike Sr., American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
Mrs. Felda Louella Pike, (nee Smith), American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
Mr. Richard Allen Pike Jr., American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

USS Arizona

Mr. Harvey Lee Pike, American Electrician's Mate Third Class from Georgia, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 24
Mr. Lewis Jackson Pike, American Seaman First Class from Georgia, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 24

Victoria steamboat disaster

Mrs. Pike, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 18th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/claudine
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 27) Andromeda voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1832 with 186 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1832
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html