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Origin Displayed: English

Where did the English Stokes family come from? What is the English coat of arms/family crest? When did the Stokes family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the history of the family name?

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Stoke, Stokes, Stoaks, Stocks and others.

First found in Pembrokeshire where they held a family seat from early times.

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Stokes name or one of its variants: Christopher Stokes who settled in Virginia in 1624; Grace, and Eleanor Stokes settled in Boston in 1635; George Stokes settled in the Barbados in 1634.

Motto Translated: Innocent fortune.


Suggested Readings for the name Stokes
  • The Mills, Stokes, and Forrester Families of Primarily Greenville Co, S.C. by Lorene Burton Ambrose.
  • The Stokes Family of Pitt County, N.C. by Taney Brazeal.
  • The Andrews, Clapp, Stokes, Wright, Van Cleve Genealogies by Alfred S. Andrews.

Some noteworthy people of the name Stokes
  • Elizabeth Dilling Stokes (1894-1966), was a well-known American anti-communist and anti-war activist and writer in the 1930s and 1940s, which led to charges of "anti-Semitism" and "sedition" in the Great Sedition Trial of 1944
  • Shelly Stokes, American softball player
  • Sir George Gabriel Stokes (1819-1903), British physicist and mathematician
  • Sir Frederick Wilfrid Scott Stokes (1860-1927), British inventor and engineer
  • Carl Burton Stokes (b. 1927), U.S. politician: the first black mayor of a major U.S. city (Cleveland, Ohio)
  • Private James Stokes (1915-1945), British soldier awarded the Victoria Cross during WW2


Tell Me More About Family Crests


Family Crests: the Heraldic Artist


We have researched the Stokes family crest in the most recognized sources. Before an artist or craftsman can render a family crest, it must exist. In other words the crest must have been designed and recorded by the heralds from time immemorial.

Heraldic designs matriculated by the lay-artist in many cases becomes uninspired, meretricious and even ugly...

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Family Crests: Timeline


Many of the symbols adopted into armory have been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians, but heraldry itself did not begin until the 11th century. In continental Europe, the most ancient recorded family crest was discovered upon the monumental effigy of a Count of Wasserburg in the church of St. Emeran, at Ratisobon, Germany...

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Family Crests: Elements


In the Stokes coat of arms as in all coat of arms the crest is only one element of the full armorial achievement. Again the Family Crest is just part of the story of Coats of Arms or Heraldry. Heraldry is defined as the hereditary art or science of blazoning, the description is appropriate technical terms of Coats-of-Arms and other heraldic and armorial insignia, and is of very ancient origin...

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Family Crests and Genealogy: how they relate


We encourage you to study the Stokes genealogy to find out if you descend from someone who bore a particular family crest. Anyone making a study of heraldry usually becomes interested in Genealogy or seeking legal claim to a particular family crest. No families, not even the royal houses, can make sound claim to the right to bear arms unless a proven connection is established through attested Genealogical records...

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Stokes Family Crest Products


Anniversary products for the name Stokes.
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Armorial histories for the name Stokes.
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Clip art of all the most used heraldic pieces.
Coat of Arms for the name Stokes.
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Family Crest for the name Stokes.
Family Tree with the coat of arms for the name Stokes.
Hand Painted Plaques emphasing the family crest for the name Stokes.
Keychains revealing the family crest for the surname Stokes.
Mouse pads revealing the Stokes family crest.
Packages with the coat of arms for the name Stokes.
Plaques and Frames displaying the Stokes family crest.
Surname Histories for the name Stokes.
Travel Mugs emphasing the family crest for the name Stokes.
Popular Products
Armorial History With Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms & Surname History Package
Family Crest Image (jpg) Heritage Series - 150 DPI
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Armorial History with Frame
Framed Surname History and Coat of Arms
 

The Stokes Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Stokes Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

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