Voice History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Voice

What does the name Voice mean?

The distinguished surname Voice is one of the many to have come to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is derived from "Voise," the name of a place in the Eure-et-Loir region of France. It is likely that the first bearer of this name in England was one who had emigrated from the village of Voise. 1

Alternatively, the name could have originated from the word "vose," meaning "a ditch, entrenchment, wall, fortification," from the Latin word "fossa." 2

Early Origins of the Voice family

The surname Voice was first found in Sussex, where John Voyce, was listed in the Feet of Fines for the County of Sussex during the Reign of Edward IV (ruled 1461-1483); as well as a Thomas Voyce, who was listed in 1379 in the Poll Tax of Yorkshire. 1

Early History of the Voice family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Voice research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1435, 1647, 1660, 1674 and 1722 are included under the topic Early Voice History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Voice Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Voice, Voyce, Foyce, Voise, Voyse and others.

Early Notables of the Voice family

the Voice family of Horsham, West Sussex

Voice migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Voice or a variant listed above:

Voice Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jane Voice, who settled in Charleston, South Carolina in 1767
William Voice, who was recorded as a runaway convict, apprentice, or servant in Baltimore in 1769

Voice migration to Canada +

Voice Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Ham Voice and his wife Sarah, who emigrated from Sussex to Canada with their two children in 1836

Voice migration to Australia +

Voice Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Voice, British settler who was convicted in Surrey, England for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Fortune And Alexander" on 31st December 1805, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Voice (post 1700) +

Gary Voice, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Colorado, 1972 4

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html