Show ContentsAlnewake History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Alnewake family

The surname Alnewake was first found in Northumberland in Alnwick, a market town and parish, and the head of a union, in the E. division of Coquetdale ward. "This place, which is of great antiquity, was occupied at a very early period by the Danes or Saxons, who called it Ealnwic, from its situation near the river Alne, and built a strong Castle for its defence on a site supposed to have been previously occupied by a Roman fortress. The castle thus erected, after the Norman Conquest, became the baronial residence of Ivo de Vescy, lord of Alnwick, to whom the barony had been given by the Conqueror. " 1

Alnwick Castle survives today and is the seat of His Grace The 12th Duke of Northumberland. William of Alnwick (d. 1449), was an early English divine, Bishop of Norwich (1426-1436), and of Lincoln (1436-1449), who was born at Alnwick in Northumberland, and from which he derived his name. 2

Early History of the Alnewake family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alnewake research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1069, 1230, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Alnewake History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alnewake Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Alnwick, Alnick, Annick, Annicke, Almwake, Alnwyk and others.

Early Notables of the Alnewake family

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

Migration of the Alnewake family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Alnewake or a variant listed above were: Amick, aged 58, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1904; Adele Amick, aged 42, who arrived at Ellis Island from Paris, France, in 1910; J. W. Amick, aged 46, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1904.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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