Aks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Aks family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living near a notable oak tree or near a group of oaks. The surname Aks is derived from the Old English word ac, which means oak. The surname Aks belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

Early Origins of the Aks family

The surname Aks was first found in Somerset where Oake is a village and civil parish that dates back to before the Norman Copnquest when it was listed as Acon in 897. The place was listed as Acha in the Domesday Book 1 and literally means "place at the oak trees" from the Old Englisk word "ac" 2

Early History of the Aks family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aks research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1606, 1631, 1640, 1644, 1645, 1662, 1675, 1680, 1681 and 1719 are included under the topic Early Aks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aks Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Aks include Oak, Oake, Oakes, Oke, Okes and others.

Early Notables of the Aks family

Notables of the family at this time include John Okey (1606-1662), an English soldier, Member of Parliament, one of the regicides of King Charles I; Nicholas Okes (died 1645), an English printer in London, best remembered for printing works of English Renaissance drama including works by William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, John Webster, Thomas Middleton, Thomas...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Aks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Aks family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Aks or a variant listed above: John Oaks settled in South Carolina in 1822; John Oaks settled in Bristol, Rhode Island in 1820; C. Oak settled in San Francisco in 1851; Jan Oake settled in New York in 1687.

Historic Events for the Aks family +

RMS Titanic

Mrs. Leah Aks, (née Rosen), aged 18, English Third Class passenger from London who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 13 3
Master Frank Philip Aks, aged 10 mths, English Third Class passenger from London who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 11 3

The Aks 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: Quercus robur salus patria
Motto Translation: The strength of the oak is the safety of our country.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html