Tacks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Today's generation of the Tacks family bears a name that was brought to England by the wave of emigration that was started by the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the ancient Norman given name Tancred. Another source claims "this surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'at the thack-wray,' i.e. the corner or place set apart for storing thack, or thatch." 1 And yet another notes "Thackray, or Thackwray, or Thackery, is a name that has its present home in the West Riding [of Yorkshire.]" 2

As to add to this last entry, another source notes that "the Thackerays descended from a family of yeomen who had been settled for several generations at Hampsthwaite, a hamlet on the Nidd in the West Riding of Yorkshire. " 3

Early Origins of the Tacks family

The surname Tacks was first found in Cambridgeshire where they held a family seat anciently, and historians claim that the family probably sprang from Tancred, a Norman Baron, who lived in 912 A.D, and share a common ancestry with the Tankervilles and Tancreds. 4

One of the first records of the family was found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where William de la Thekere was listed in Norfolk. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Johannes de Thakwra and Robertas de Thakwra. 1

Early History of the Tacks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tacks research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1811 and 1863 are included under the topic Early Tacks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tacks Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Tacks have been found, including Thackary, Thackery, Thackwray and others.

Early Notables of the Tacks family

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

Tacks migration to Canada +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. 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 Tacks were among those contributors:

Tacks Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Andrew Tacks U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 he was a member of the Cape Ann Association 5

The Tacks 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: Nobilitas sola virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue is the sole nobility.

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)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
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